Tolu Meduna
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) marks one year in office of the Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu whose appointment on 19 October 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu began a new era of rebirth, focus and impact by the 31-year-old organisation.
Clearly focused, driven by love for the country and a belief in the capacity of Nigerian people to turn around the fortunes of the country, Issa-Onilu has in the last 365 days established a structure for optimal performance of the Agency, whose main goal is to inform and educate Nigerians on government strides and mobilise support for the policies of the government.
Those structures, solid and robust, have begun to turn the bend and produce clear outcomes for the citizens and Nation.
Some of the outcomes are the National Values Charter and other National Identity projects, already approved by the Federal Executive Council, are clear institutionalisation policies that go beyond the mouthy slogans to early life enculturation and indoctrination. For him, every society must carefully build the people that will build the Nation.
It’s a fresh start for an institution that was completely abandoned by its owners, the government, leading to both internal and outward decimation.
One year is just the beginning but so much has been accomplished that all stakeholders are beginning to ask” Where was he before now”
From the outset, Issa-Onilu focused on improving staff welfare, increasing visibility and generally re-establishing new relevance in the scheme of things.
Issa-Onilu remains committed to mobilising citizens in the effort to rebuild Nigeria.