The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has renewed its call for ethical leadership, saying Nigeria’s journey towards sustainable development depends on leaders and citizens making integrity, accountability and honesty part of everyday life.
For millions of Nigerians who rely on public institutions every day, trust remains one of the country’s most valuable but fragile assets. Whether seeking justice, accessing government services, running businesses or simply hoping for a better future, many believe integrity in leadership can make the difference between progress and frustration.
Speaking at the Ethical Heroes Award Conference in Bauchi over the weekend, the North-East Zonal Director of the Agency, Mallam Nuru Yusuf Kobi, who represented the Director-General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, told participants that leadership is measured not by titles or positions but by the willingness to do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Addressing government officials, security personnel, traditional and religious leaders, academics, civil society organisations and development partners, Kobi stressed that every honest decision made by a public servant, teacher, trader, security officer or community leader contributes to building a stronger nation.
According to him, public trust is the foundation upon which good governance, peaceful coexistence and economic growth are built.
“When citizens trust their leaders, they cooperate with government. When investors trust public institutions, they invest with confidence. When young people trust the system, they choose hard work over shortcuts. Trust is the real currency of national development,” he said.
He warned that corruption, abuse of office and unethical conduct continue to weaken institutions, erode public confidence and slow national development, adding that rebuilding trust requires ethical leadership at every level of society.
Kobi highlighted the National Values Charter as one of the Agency’s key initiatives aimed at promoting patriotism, fairness, discipline, integrity and responsible citizenship through a shared commitment between government and citizens.
He noted that the Agency continues to engage Nigerians in their local languages across states, local government areas and communities, taking messages of ethical conduct to homes, schools, markets, places of worship and traditional institutions where lasting behavioural change begins.
The NOA also urged public institutions, security agencies, schools, religious organisations, professional bodies, civil society groups and the private sector to institutionalise transparency, accountability, fairness and service above personal interests.
Kobi posited that Nigeria’s future depends on making integrity a daily habit capable of restoring public trust and driving sustainable national development, insisting that the Agency’s efforts at promoting value reorientation, civic responsibility and ethical leadership is because they are critical ingredients for building a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
