The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to obtain permission before using the national anthem.
In a statement released on Wednesday, October 8, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), emphasized the importance of seeking permission to prevent misinterpretation. However, he did not specify the context in which permission should be sought for singing the anthem or using its lyrics.
"As custodians of Nigeria's national symbols, the NOA is responsible for preventing any misuse. The DG stressed that permission must be obtained from the Agency before using the National Anthem to avoid misrepresentation," the statement noted.
He also clarified that the Nigerian flag consists of green, white, and green, with the correct shade of green being Emerald 2.0.
Issa-Onilu pointed out that previous administrations focused primarily on infrastructure development while overlooking the importance of value orientation, which contributed to the decline of social intervention programs like the Boys' Scouts, Girls' Brigade, WAI Brigade, and even the National Orientation Agency itself.
He mentioned that the current administration has recognized this oversight, with President Tinubu extending his support to the agency