The Director, Civic, Values and Democracy Education at the National Orientation Agency (NOA) headquarters, Dr. Olukemi Afolayan, has described the two years of Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu as Director-General of the Agency as “equivalent to two decades of transformative impact.”
Speaking on Burning Issue, a public affairs programme anchored by Seun Owoseni on Ilaji 91.9 FM, Ibadan, Afolayan said Issa-Onilu’s appointment marked a historic turning point for the agency, ushering in an era of renewed purpose, inclusiveness, and innovation.
She described the NOA boss as “a visionary and people-centred leader” whose passion for Nigeria is reflected in his tireless pursuit of civic enlightenment and national renewal. “Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu is passionate about this country round the clock. His vision is clear, his energy is inspiring, and his leadership style is deeply inclusive and people-focused,” she said.
According to her, Issa-Onilu’s two years in office have redefined the agency’s mandate and reawakened civic consciousness among Nigerians. “His two years look like twenty in the eyes of many because of his accessibility, zeal, and commitment to reorienting citizens toward shared national values,” she added.
Afolayan commended the DG for prioritising staff welfare and professional development, describing him as “a team player and transformational leader” who has reinvigorated staff morale and institutional performance.
She noted that under Issa-Onilu’s leadership, the agency has extended civic enlightenment campaigns to remote communities that had been cut off from government presence for decades. “The DG has carried sensitisation to places that had not felt the impact of any government agency in over 50 years, bringing awareness of national programmes and policies directly to the grassroots,” she said.
The NOA official observed that the agency’s expanding digital footprint and innovative communication tools have further strengthened its reach, with citizens now engaging more actively in governance and national discourse.
Afolayan credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the agency’s renewed vigour, noting that his administration recognises the strategic role of values in rebuilding the nation’s moral and civic fabric. “The President understands that the missing link in our nation-building journey is values.
That is why he is giving the Agency every necessary backing to succeed,” she affirmed.
Highlighting some of the Agency’s flagship initiatives, Afolayan listed the National Values Charter, The Explainer weekly bulletin, and CHLEEAN, an artificial intelligence civic sensitisation platform, as innovative tools that are reshaping citizen engagement across the country.
She stressed that Issa-Onilu’s leadership has repositioned NOA for its central task of national values reorientation, rekindling patriotism, discipline, and civic responsibility across all strata of society.
“His style of leadership is exemplary, primus inter pares, and this has inspired the Agency’s workforce nationwide to double their efforts for better service delivery,” Afolayan said.
