The Federal Government on Thursday, October 16, 2025 released guidelines on the proper usage of the National Anthem and the National Pledge at public functions.
The guidelines released by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), are contained in a flyer made available to the public which aim to promote patriotism and respect for national symbols.
The NOA which has since bounced back to prominence since the assumption of office by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu as Director General, lay emphasis on the importance of adhering to the guidelines.
The flyer distributed by the NOA, said that based on the guidelines, only the first stanza of the National Anthem should be sung at official functions, while the National Pledge should be recited at the end of every official event.
The guidelines further stated; “The full three stanzas of the National Anthem can only be sung on specific occasions such as Independence Day, Inauguration of a President, Armed Forces Remembrance Day, and Democracy Day.
“Recite/sing only the first stanza (not all three (3) stanzas) at official events,” the flyer reads. The National Pledge is to be recited at the end of an event,” he explained.
The NOA Director-General, Mallam Issa-Onilu, had on October 9, 2025 at the Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Ikeja, Lagos, where he served as a panellist, called the attention of guests to the National Anthem and Pledge etiquette.
Issa-Onilu said that the guidelines are expected to promote uniformity and respect for national symbols across the country.
