The Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has called on Nigerians to imbibe value reorientation and patriotism to enhance the unity and progress of the country.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Mr. Idris made the call on Wednesday during a working visit to the headquarters of Voice of Nigeria (VON) in Abuja.
He said the country had reached a level where Nigerians no longer believed in what their leaders told them.
“The starting point for me is to restore that confidence, especially in government communication. And that can be achieved once you are honest, truthful, and patriotic in the cause for a better Nigeria,” the minister said.
He stressed the need for Nigerians to believe in their country, adding that it was not for nothing that President Bola Tinubu renamed the Ministry of Information and Culture to the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
“With that, the ministry has a new mandate, which is to tell Nigerians that we need to now recover and dedicate ourselves to a nation that we all desire. You will agree with me that value orientation and patriotism among Nigerians is at its lowest,” Mr. Idris said.
He added that the president was passionate about rebranding Nigeria and that the rebranding needed value reorientation.
“So, the mandate is to ensure there is value reorientation. National orientation is at the heart of the ministry, and we need to start with the platforms under the ministry. I also think our diversity should be used positively for progress and development,” Mr. Idris said.
The minister explained that the availability of honest and credible information was the bedrock of any united and peaceful society.
He said that over the years, the people’s trust and confidence had gradually eroded, especially for leaders and those in government.
Mr. Idris urged the staff of VON to use their platform to promote value reorientation and patriotism among Nigerians.
He said that VON had a critical role to play in helping to rebuild the people’s trust in government and in the country.
“I urge you to use your platform to promote the values that will unite us and make us a stronger nation,” the minister said.
