- By Muizz Olanrewaju
Speakers at the grand finale of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) nationwide debate have concluded that those who criticise the governments are not necessarily unpatriotic.
The debate saw representatives of selected tertiary institutions who spoke at the 7 for 7 national values campaign aimed at fostering or encouraging unity, patriotism, and ethical behaviour among Nigerians.
Organisers of the programme have said the event was initiated to promote some seven core values patriotism, discipline, integrity, social justice, religious tolerance, self reliance and dignity of labour.
“These values are meant to be the foundation for building a peaceful prosperous and unified Nigeria,”
The value train has toured Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to debate on the topic “Criticising and dissenting peacefully while maintaining love for one’s country.”
Students from each of these geopolitical zones had battled for the winning trophy with moving speeches on the topic.
For instance Mr. Femi Johnson, student representative of the University of Ibadan made said, “we have the responsibility to uphold integrity and daily interactions. Corruption starts small but so does change. We must be the generation that turns these values into action.”
Also, Mary Okafor from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) said “The future of our nation depends on how well we instil those seven values in the younger generation.”
The grand finale was the highest point of efforts to amplify the values nationwide emphasizing their importance in building a harmonious and progressive society.