By Seyi Babalola
In line with the national drive for citizen reorientation, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has constituted a committee to finalise Nigeria’s Values Charter. One of the members of the 9-man committee, is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board and contributor to METROWATCH online newspaper opinion page, Dr. Monday Philip Ekpe.
The minister said, while announcing the appointment, in a press statement by Suleiman Haruna, that Nigeria’s Values Charter embodies a social contract between the country and its citizens. It will serve as a blueprint and policy for a national value system, defining us as Nigerians and undergirding our personality as citizens.
He recalled that the new policy, unveiled in early 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, consists of the Nigerian Promise and the Citizen Codes, which have seven pillars each. The government intends to incorporate these values into formal, informal, and vocational educational policies.
It is common practice for countries to define their core values and institute policies to transmit a shared value system among the citizens, which, in the case of Nigeria, would help citizens evolve into united people with shared aspirations, a sense of nationalism, and pride.
Despite the Constitutional provision on national values, Nigeria has not implemented a definitive core value system for its citizens. As a country of diverse ethnic and cultural values, evolving into a unified nation without a unifying value system has been challenging.
The committee, which has two weeks to submit its report, has the following membership:
1. Dr. Muhammed Auwal Haruna – Chairman
2. Dr. Biodun Adeniyi – Deputy Chairman
3. Dr. Otive Igbuzor – Member
4. Dr. Emma Agu – Member
5. Dr. Grace Awoleye – Member
6. Dr. Monday Philip – Member
7. Dr. Tunji Azeez – Member
8. Dr. Naima Aminu – Member
9. Nkechi Ali Balogun – Member
Mrs. Theresa Nnalue, Director of Orientation and Behavioural Modification (OBM), of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), will coordinate the committee.
