By Peter Omopo l September 17, 2025
The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to accord greater respect to the country’s national flag, anthem, pledge, coat of arms, and other emblems of sovereignty, describing them as central to the nation’s unity and identity.
The charge came on Tuesday from the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement marking the 2025 National Ordinance Day, observed annually on September 16. The day commemorates the handover of Nigeria’s national symbols at independence.
Issa-Onilu said the annual celebration was a reminder of the values of unity, discipline, and service that bind Nigerians together. “Respect for our national symbols is respect for Nigeria itself. Each time we hoist the flag correctly, recite the pledge sincerely, or sing the anthem with pride, we affirm our loyalty and commitment to the ideals of our nation,” he stated.
The NOA boss stressed that recognition of national symbols was both a civic duty and a mark of patriotism, urging schools, communities, organisations, and public institutions to consciously integrate respect for these symbols into their daily practices to help deepen national identity and strengthen social cohesion.
The agency recalled that in August it launched a two-week nationwide enlightenment campaign focused on five thematic areas, including the Nigerian identity project and the national symbols campaign.
Issa-Onilu reaffirmed NOA’s commitment to continuous sensitisation and stakeholder collaboration, pledging that Nigerians—especially the younger generation—would be educated on the significance of national symbols and encouraged to uphold their values.
