The National Orientation Agency, NOA, under the stewardship of Lanre Issa-Onilu, and its parent body – the Ministry of Information and National Orientation under Mohammed Idris – have been striving to reactivate national orientation, which went moribund after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

The Mass Mobilisation for Economic Recovery and Social Justice, MAMSER, led by Professor Jerry Gana, successfully mobilised Nigerians to embrace the General Ibrahim Babangida Transition to Civil Rule Programme, which resulted in the freest and fairest election ever held in Nigeria till date. Unfortunately, Babangida, after unconscionably annulling the election, also scrapped MAMSER.

As a result, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, which he created on August 23, 1993, days before he left office, never captured the enthusiasm of Nigerians as MAMSER did. For over 25 years, NOA existed in irrelevance. But since President Bola Tinubu assumed office nearly 20 months ago, activities have picked up again there.

Apart from the return of reorientation jingles, the NOA has also embarked on the promotion of Nigerian National Values as captured in Chapters I, II and IV of the 1999 Constitution. These encapsulate what makes a Nigerian a Nigerian, his duties and obligations to the state and fellow Nigerians, as well as expectations from them. The National Values Charter are contained in NOA’s documents titled: “The Nigerian Promise” and the “Citizens Code”.

It is a great irony that nearly 65 years after independence, Nigeria is still labouring to evolve an actionable charter of national values. That is, however, not surprising. The amalgamation of three different regions with totally different and competing values rendered Nigeria, ab initio, as a “mere geographical expression”, as Obafemi Awolowo aptly described it.

Nigerian diversity is like water and oil that cannot mix. This is not helped by the fact that each geographical and cultural section seeks to dominate the others. A country like Ghana has succeeded in evolving its national values and identity in a manner that seems impossible in Nigeria.

In addition to the clash of political, historical and cultural values, Nigerian political leaders have also created two worlds. The law applies only to the grass-roots while the leaders live above it.

For the NOA’s National Values Charter to work, the leadership at the highest level must live by example. A situation whereby the Federal Character principle, which is the constitutional pillar for equity, is flagrantly violated  in preference for extreme nepotism, and its officials engage in ethnic profiling, cannot foster a shared sense of belonging. You can’t preach national values to people you have already alienated through abuse of power.

Our leadership must promote national values by personal example, not mere pontification. Even the 1999 Constitution on which the value system stands, was a mere military imposition, not an agreed charter.

Until the right things are done, NOA may not be able to connect with Nigerians.