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To indigenise 70% of cartoon content
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The federal government has disbursed N100 billion to train 20 million artisans across the country.
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this yesterday at a media parley in Abuja, explaining that part of the funds would be used to train them on work ethics.
He said: “I know that 20 million artisans are being identified and trained in partnership with the Artisanal Association of Nigeria to identify all these artisans and create a curriculum for them to upskill them, so that we can stop bringing people from other countries.
“I am sure it is N100 billion that has been provided to train these people. The role of NOA in all of this is to say it is not just about skills, but their attitude to work and attitude to customers.”
Meanwhile, in a bid to instil cultural values, Issa-Onilu disclosed the government’s plans to indigenise 70% of cartoon content.
He complained that, through cartoons, Nigerians aged 1 to 16 have been nurtured on strange foreign values over the years.
He said the initiative was part of the seven institutionalisation policies of NOA, namely: nationalisation of cartoon animation, citizenship studies, citizens’ brigades, global reputational management campaign, orientation programmes for appointed and elected government officials, incorporation of value orientation as part of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), and the reintroduction and promotion of national symbols.
He regretted that neither the government nor parents pay attention to the content of cartoons watched by children.
Issa-Onilu said: “The Federal Government will nationalise cartoon content. In the next three years, 70% of the cartoon content must be about Nigerian values.
“Through cartoons, Nigerian children aged 1 to 16 are nurtured on strange foreign values. Neither the government nor the parents are paying attention to the content of the cartoons.
“The agency shall be promoting the use of cartoon animation for children aged 1 to 16. This will involve creating, promoting, and distributing animated cartoons and digital game-based content in captivating visuals and relatable storytelling that capture the National Values Charter, history, and civic education.
“These contents would reflect our language, cultural values, traditions, and identity.
“This initiative aims to provide children with entertaining, educational, and culturally relevant content that fosters attitudinal and behavioural change and serves as a platform for promoting national identity through value reorientation.
“This will also open a new industry within the creative and entertainment sector, creating jobs, competencies, and prosperity.”
He also said the NOA would facilitate the integration of citizenship studies into the educational curricula of children and youths between the ages of 7 and 18 to develop informed, responsible, and active citizens with genuine love for the country.
According to him, these studies would include understanding national values, civic rights and responsibilities, the country’s government structure and political system, active participation in civic life, and respect for constituted authorities.
In addition, he revealed that the agency will establish citizen brigades in primary and secondary schools this year, starting with 37,000 members, stating that there will be 1,000 per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“The Citizen Brigades will be fashioned after the Boys Scouts and Girls Brigades, where members learn leadership and moral values.
“They will be raised as model citizens who embody the national identity. Millions of Nigerian children will join the brigade in a few years, causing a deliberate movement of value ambassadors, model citizens, and a generation of new Nigerians.”
On the global reputational management campaign, the former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said: “The agency shall carry out a global reputational management campaign within and outside Nigeria to promote Nigeria’s values, redeem our image, and enhance the public and international perception of the country.
“This will involve strategic communication, branding, and crisis management to ensure a positive and consistent image across the country and in the world’s major capitals.
“The agency will deploy channels such as traditional media, digital platforms, influencers, and opinion moulders, using high-quality visuals, videos, and infographics, including storytelling, to capture attention and convey messages effectively. We will engage with stakeholders to sustain our positive global image.”
