Issa-onilu harps on the essence of Nigerian story told by Nigerians

Director general of the National Orientation Agency, NOA Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu has stressed the need for indigenous creative artists to tell the Nigerian story that will cover the full range of positive developments taking place in our country instead of the one sided narration of negativities which form the theme of most production in Nigeria.

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In a keynote speech delivered yesterday at the Women in Film and Television conference which held in Lagos, the Director General, represented by the South West director of NOA, Mrs Funke Salako, said creating stories rooted in culture, history and civic identity is at the root of current policy of government to nationalise cartoon content. He expressed hope that that would gradually reduce the large foreign content in cartoons thereby helping to preserve Nigeria’s heritage.

In his words: “The National Orientation Agency, mandated to foster national identity and promote values, has taken up this challenge with commitment and passion. We developed the National Identity Project, which is anchored on the National Values Charter. The Charter is a roadmap for rebuilding and reasserting Nigerian identity.

“It is structured around three components: the Nigerian Promise, the Citizens’ Code, and Institutionalisation Policies. Each of these pillars is designed to ensure that Nigerian identity is not an abstract concept, but a lived reality in our homes, our schools, our media and our society.”

He told his audience comprising diplomats, movie artists from Nigeria, Africa, Canada and the United States of America ( USA) to imagine the transformative power of this initiative producing a generation of children who grow up watching heroes who speak their language, sing their songs, celebrate their festivals, and embody their values. For him, the nationalisation concept will produce children who learn about discipline, tolerance, and leadership not only from their textbooks but from captivating animations.

The WIFT Conference is a yearly event that draws participant from female creative artists in Nigeria for networking, sharing ideas and finding solution to issues affecting the film and creative industry in the country. Joke Silva, Nigeria’s movie producer is heading the local chapter of the forum.