The Federal Government bemoaned how Nigerians no longer trust the politicians they elect, emphasising the importance of reintroducing national discourse on reorientation.
Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, yesterday, announced this while answering questions from State House media after meeting with President Bola Tinubu behind closed doors at the presidential villa in Abuja.
The minister stated that conviction in the notion of nationhood and patriotism had deteriorated and that the president had now given him the green light to launch a project to rebuild it.
In his words:
“Well, of course, you know that the belief in the concept of nationhood and patriotism has broken down in this country. This is not in doubt. We’re trying to rebuild that, to reconstruct that.
“Mr. President, gave me a marching order to see that Nigerians believe in this country once again. We’re coming up with national discourse on orientation or reorientation so that Nigerians can believe in their country.
“You know that people don’t even believe leaders that they themselves have elected. Flags are not flying anymore. You go to the government overseas, you don’t even see the symbol of our collective existence, flying even in public buildings.
“We’re bringing that about, we are bringing back this concept of discipline that Nigerians should have. Patriotism. Belief in the nationhood that our founding fathers have told us.
“So it is going to be a new minister of Information and national orientation and national orientation is going to be at the center of it.”
“Well, the national orientation agency has offices in the 774 LGAs. Of course, there’s attrition now, not all the people that will man these local government offices are there, but we are rebuilding that.
”We are going to put officers of the envoy around all the 774 LGAs and we are coming up with a roadmap that will revamp that sector so that Nigerians can believe in their country once again.”
Idris said that the Tinubu administration would not aim to silence the media, despite his own belief in press freedom, but cautioned that such freedom must be exercised responsibly.
cc: Vanguard Ng
