We at the National Orientation Agency (NOA) wish to thank you for the interest in our agency and your desire that it plays a preeminent role in shaping values and promoting peace and progress in our land. That you had time to write about our role in national development convinces us that the quest for a value-driven society is a shared principle by many Nigerians, particularly the Daily Trust newspaper family.
While we agree on the need to position the agency to be more relevant to both the citizens and the nation in line with the mandate encapsulated in Decree 100 of 23rd August, 1993 (as amended), we make bold to say that NOA is no more winking in the dark.
In the last six months, following the assumption of office by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu as the DG, the agency has realigned its activities to have a more enduring footprint, lasting impression and fundamental value-driven change for the good of our society.
Thus the agency has undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of its programmes to effectively guide Nigerians towards government policies, programmes and activities, being one of its cardinal mandates.
To deliver on that mandate, new platforms for communicating government policies, programmes and activities which meet the yearnings of young people, the old and middle aged men and women have been put in place to carry government information to the people.
For instance, at NOA headquarters, the agency has established a new television studio, a new radio studio and a newsroom to help it effectively situate the trending narratives and agenda in the country.
This was done upon the realisation that leaving the power to determine national narratives and messaging in the hands of the third party media would ultimately leave government institutions with the short end of the stick. Hence, with our studios, NOA is better positioned to come out with official interpretation of government policies and activities without the colouration and interests that becloud media outputs. This will help put the intentions of the government in proper perspectives.
It is necessary to underscore the importance of setting up a newsroom to create contents and messages that promote our values and nation while giving clarity to the work of government.
Our own media structures enable us to speak to the ordinary Nigerian directly especially given the impetus which technology has given to mankind in the area of communication. Technology has also enabled us to integrate our messaging, leveraging our presence in all the 36 states, the FCT and the 774 LGAs.
The reevaluation process has resulted in the creation of holistic strategies such as the “National Values Charter’’, CLHEEAN community programme and the Mobiliser app, as well as the NOA e-newsletter, The Explainer. These initiatives serve as the platforms for addressing various societal issues.
The centre piece of NOA’s reorientation efforts, the National Values Charter, is a social contract comprising seven promises from the country and seven responsibilities of citizens to the country. This innovative approach fosters mutual accountability between the country and the people. The NOA DG sees this as an important factory for patriotism and responsibility by both the people in government and the citizens.
The CLHEEAN community project serves as an umbrella initiative for carrying out various interventions across Nigerian communities, addressing issues such as crime, lawlessness, health, environment, education, abuse and narcotics. Using these thematic frameworks, NOA will build capacity, expertise and resources to implement realistic campaigns capable of making the desired change.
The Mobiliser app, recently unveiled by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, is a new platform developed by NOA for citizens’ engagement, especially the youths who constitute over 70 per cent of the Nigerian population. The app features newsfeed, interactive features, gamification with rewards, educational content and contest entries to encourage active participation.
Recognising the power of the media in shaping public perception, NOA introduced The Explainer newsletter to ensure accurate and meaningful dissemination of information. The Explainer, in the last two months, has proven to be the Go-to-Hub for all government policies. It is published every Friday and only requires a subscription to access it.
Aside from building structures, the new NOA is building capacities of staff and stakeholders to ensure the vision and mission are accomplished effectively. That is why it is working with partners, both government and non-governmental organisations, to develop ideas for behavioural communication campaigns in Nigeria that require attention to various factors ensuring effectiveness, cultural appropriateness, and impact.
All these are strategically put in place to avoid another sloganeering campaign rather than a nation building initiative.
While these initiatives represent a significant step forward, NOA is already working on additional programmes capable of furthering the objectives of the government in 1993 to set up an agency to orientate citizens. This marks a new chapter in NOA’s commitment to fostering positive societal change and citizen engagement across Nigeria.
Paul Odenyi is the Director of Press at NOA.
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