Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has unveiled the blueprint of a new National Values Charter (NVC) at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, calling it a milestone in the country’s evolution as a nation.
The NVC aims to define and document the core values that will guide all Nigerians, regardless of their ethnic, religious, social and economic backgrounds, and to foster a national culture that reflects their common destiny.
Idris said the NVC was born out of the recognition that Nigeria, which was created by the colonial British government in 1914, has been struggling with the question of identity and cohesion among its diverse peoples.
He said the NVC seeks to address the problems that have undermined the country’s growth and development, such as ethnic tensions, hate speech, immorality and corruption.
“This event marks another milestone in our evolution as a nation, bringing our various sub-national values together to create a national culture that speaks to our common destiny.
“We are determined to define and document the core values that will guide all of us as Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion, social and economic status and all other real or imagined barriers and differences,” Idris said.
Happening Now: Presentation of the report of the National Value Charter Review Committee to the Honorable Minister of Information & National Orientation, @HMMohammedIdris fnipr at the National Press Centre, Abuja.
You can follow this event live on NTA and FRCN pic.twitter.com/BIfCOXsuKZ
— Fed Min of Info & Nat’l Orien (@FMINONigeria) January 23, 2024
The Minister also said the NVC acknowledges the dynamism of the human experience and the impact of technology and globalization on cultures and attitudes.
He said the NVC aims to preserve the most important human values that are timeless and enduring.
“The National Values Charter also takes into full account the fact that we are a youth-centric and technology-driven world. On account of these, we are determined to ensure that the young people of Nigeria own this social contract, and are allowed to take the lead in using it to build, in concert with older generations, a better country, and a better world,” he said.
A Collective Responsibility
The Minister admitted that many Nigerians have become skeptical and disenchanted with the situation in the country, citing security challenges, unemployment, lack of social amenities and illiteracy as some of the factors that have driven many youths to emigrate.
He said the government does not intend to minimize the pains and frustrations of the people, but to emphasize that achieving lasting greatness is a collective responsibility.
“We acknowledge this grave dilemma that continues to confront many of our people. We will never be tempted to minimize the pains and challenges and frustrations that Nigerians face. At the same time, we will also always seek to emphasize that making our way out, and advancing along the path of lasting greatness, is a collective responsibility,” he said.
He said the NVC is not an attempt to deflect any blame or responsibility from the government or the ruling class, but to map out a path that will lead Nigeria to the great heights that it truly belongs to.
He said the NVC is also a tribute to the ‘labour of our heroes past’ who fought for the country’s independence and democracy.
A Call to Action
Idris urged all Nigerians to embrace the NVC and to contribute to its implementation and success.
He said the NVC will be made available to the public and will be incorporated into the national curriculum and orientation programs.
The Minister also announced that the President will formally unveil the Charter to the public on a date that will be disclosed soon.
He thanked the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), his staff, and the members of the committee, headed by Dr. Muhammed Awal Haruna, that have worked on the NVC project.
“I have the assurance of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), that various innovative approaches and socialization strategies will be employed to ensure that the Charter becomes part and parcel of our personal and collective existence as Nigerians,” he said.
The Director-General of the NOA, who also spoke at the press conference, said the lack of values is at the root of the country’s search for national development.
He quoted the words of the late Nigerian philosopher and statesman, Obafemi Awolowo, who said: “A nation without values is a nation without a future.”
“Indeed the success of the renewed hope rests on the understanding of our national value system,” he said.
“We must all work together to uphold and promote the values that define us as Nigerians and as Africans.”
