The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says the federal government will soon introduce citizenship study as a core subject at all levels of education in Nigeria.

The director-general of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this at a town hall meeting with stakeholders on Saturday in Lokoja as part of his two-day working visit to Kogi.

Mr Issa-Onilu said that it was imperative to interact with stakeholders on government policies, programmes and activities as part of the mandate given to NOA by President Bola Tinubu.

He said the introduction of citizenship study into the country’s school education system was necessary to help inculcate the right values and characters into every Nigeria’s child.

“The Federal Government will soon introduce Citizenship Studies in all levels of education in Nigeria–primary, secondary and tertiary education–where our children will undertake them as compulsory subjects and courses.

“This will enable them to learn the right values and characters and how to be a good Nigerian and make the country proud anywhere they go.

“This is to inculcate the right values in children so that when they grow up and get into the society, they would live their lives in a way that the parents, the society, and the country will be proud of them.

“So, this will happen soon; and we are starting this year with 37,000 Citizenship Brigades, 1,000 per state in primary school and secondary schools.’’

Mr Issa-Onilu said that the country would be codifying its values through the national values charter being spearheaded by the agency.

He said that the values charter was not anything new as all communities and ethnic nationalities held strongly to their values but regretted that Nigeria did not put any value system in place.

The director-general emphasised that values would only be appreciated when they were kept and made sacrosanct, promoted and nurtured by the people.

According to him, at present, no one can give a definite answer of who is a Nigerian in terms of values and characters.

“A proper Nigerian cannot be a kidnapper, bandit, get to government and become a thief; stealing government resources, promoting corruption and bringing hardship to the people.

“A proper Nigerian is the one that becomes a governor and do the right things; provides infrastructures, creates employment, promotes peace and stability in the state.

“That’s who a good Nigerian is; a good Nigerian is the president that will come and promote prosperity, ensure unity and there is no nepotism.

“So, we need to work and collaborate together as stakeholders’ to ensure that we improve our values as a country,” he said.

The director-general commended the stakeholders for always being ever-supportive and dependable in working with NOA to move Nigeria forward.

Earlier, the acting state director of NOA, Kogi directorate, Patrick Edogbanya, said the meeting provided the rare opportunity to rub minds with stakeholders towards finding a lasting solution to some of the country’s surmountable challenges.

According to him, the stakeholders include religious and traditional leaders, civil society organisations (CSOs), women and youth groups, media organisations, retired state directors of NOA, among others.

Stakeholders in their various comments, urged NOA to impress on the federal government to urgently reduce petroleum pump price to alleviate the suffering of the people.

The representative of the Council of Ulama’u, Zakariya Aliyu, called for the re-introduction of religious studies which should be made compulsory at all levels of education.

(NAN)