* Know National Prayer, respect national symbols
By John Odunayo
The Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has said that Nigerians are free to use the National Anthem and correct versions of the national symbols.
Issa-Onilu, who harped on proper use of the correct version of the National Anthem, said Nigerians did not require any permission from NOA to use the anthem and national symbols.
The NOA DG spoke in a statement by the Deputy Director, Press, Paul Odenyi, in reaction to reports insinuating that the Agency must give permission to citizens before they can use the National Anthem.
It stated, “NOA therefore calls on all citizens to ignore such misleading reports and freely use the National Anthem and simultaneously respect and honour the national symbols, which embody our nation’s aspirations and unity”.
The statement clarified that Issa-Onilu only said that “NOA, as the custodian of national symbols, will issue correct melodies of the National Anthem and advocated that those who produce national flags or use them for commercial advertisement purposes should obtain the correct versions from NOA.
He clarified that “the new approvals given by the Federal Executive Council prescribe that the first stanza of the National Anthem will be sung at all official government programmes, while the entire three stanzas will be used only at special events such as the Democracy Day, opening of parliament et cetera. The third stanza has been designated as national prayer”.
“As a matter of fact, all state offices of the Agency are currently undertaking programmes aimed at enlightening Nigerians on the lyrics of the reintroduced National Anthem”.
The NOA DG said that the agency has released the correct and authentic lyrics of the National Anthem, reintroducing it as part of its initiative to promote the new National Anthem Act signed by the President.
The correct lyrics of the National Anthem are as follows:
Stanza 1
Nigeria, we hail thee
Our own dear native land
Though tribes and tongues may differ
In brotherhood, we stand
Nigerians all, are proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.
Stanza 2
Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign
In peace or battle, honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.
Stanza 3
O God of all creation
Grant this our one request.
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
