Nigerians to obtain approval for use of National Anthem –NOA

The Federal Government has announced that Nigerians must seek formal permission before using the national anthem to prevent misuse or misinterpretation.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), highlighted the necessity of obtaining approval from the agency prior to the use of the anthem or its lyrics.

“As custodians of Nigeria’s national symbols, the NOA is tasked with preventing all forms of misuse. Permission must be sought from the agency to avoid misrepresentation,” the statement emphasized.

Issa-Onilu also indicated that sensitization campaigns will soon take place across all 36 states to clarify the agency’s new policies and guidelines.

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In addition, the NOA Director General addressed the national flag, reaffirming that its official colors are green, white, and green, specifying the exact shade of green as Emerald 2.0.

He expressed concern that previous administrations prioritized infrastructure development at the expense of value orientation, resulting in the decline of social intervention programs such as the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, WAI Brigade, and even the National Orientation Agency itself.

Issa-Onilu credited President Bola Tinubu for acknowledging this gap and supporting the revival of value-driven initiatives. Notably, the President signed into law a bill reinstating Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” on the first anniversary of his administration.

This anthem, originally penned by Lillian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda in 1959, was replaced by a military government in 1978 but has now been restored.

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