NOA Calls for Reviving Youth Values through Citizen Brigade

The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Issa Onilu, has called for the revival of value-based youth programs through the establishment of the Citizen Brigade initiative.

Onilu made this appeal during the National Sensitization on the National Anthem and National Values Charter held in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Onilu expressed concern over the decline of voluntary institutions such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, which once played a pivotal role in shaping future leaders.

“In the last three decades, we have not created any platform or structure for our children to be nurtured on values,” he remarked.

“We need to institutionalize structures like the Citizen Brigade, starting with 37,000 children across Nigeria this year.”

The Citizen Brigade, designed for both primary and secondary schools, aims to instill values, ethics, and leadership skills in students.

Onilu noted that the program’s goal is to enroll millions of children over the next few years to mold them into model citizens with a shared sense of national identity.

Onilu also highlighted the growing influence of foreign media on Nigerian children, emphasizing the importance of producing local content that promotes Nigerian values.

“We want to phase out foreign cartoons and produce content that reflects our own values,” he said.

“Additionally, NOA plans to make citizenship studies compulsory at all educational levels, ensuring that students gain a deeper understanding of Nigeria’s history, ethics, and values.”

He mentioned ongoing collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to incorporate value orientation into the NYSC program.

Onilu further revealed plans for a two-week value orientation program for political officeholders and urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, and teachers to promote the “Seven for Seven” initiative within their communities.

“This nationwide sensitization campaign is taking place across all 36 states and the FCT, and it will continue until the end of the year,” Onilu concluded, urging Nigerians to actively engage in the Citizen Brigade initiative to secure the future of the nation.

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