President Bola Tinubu has approved the replacement of foreign cartoons with Nigerian content to promote national values. Isa Onilu, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), revealed this in Bauchi on Friday during the launch of the campaign to promote the National Anthem and the National Value Charter.
Onilu, represented by the National Director, PRS (NOA), Nura Yusuf Kobi, expressed concerns about the influence of foreign cultures on Nigerian children, stating that foreign cartoons have led to the adoption of “foreign attitudes.”
“We are worried that Nigeria is giving birth to children with foreign behaviours. We have noticed that our kids learn many foreign attitudes through cartoons from other countries. We are going to replace them with local cartoons that will promote our character and culture so that those currently shown on GOtv, StarTimes, and the rest will be substituted,” Onilu said.
He added that Nigeria’s image has been negatively portrayed abroad as a country associated with crime.
He emphasized the need to redefine the nation’s identity, recalling the era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa when Nigeria had a clear and positive image.
Onilu also criticized the current trend of celebrating basic acts of honesty, such as returning lost items at airports, as if they were extraordinary. He highlighted that the campaign aims to redefine the nation’s identity, change the narrative, and encourage Nigerians to proudly represent their identity abroad.
Earlier, the Bauchi State Coordinator of NOA, Mrs. Theresa Omaga, explained the agency’s plan to extend the campaign to all 20 local government areas in the state, with activities running simultaneously at the state and local levels.
Credit: Guardian
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