If the words from the Director General, National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu is anything to go by, long Protocols at official engagement would soon be a thing of the past.
Issa-Onilu said once the Master of Ceremony or Compere recognises the dignitaries, every other speaker would have no reason to do so again.
Nigeria has been known for its long Protocols at official engagements with every speaker recognising the same sets of people.
This, the NOA boss who spoke in Abuja on Thursday at the 4th National Advertising Conference, with the theme “Navigating the shift”, said is very necessary to cut time waste with every speaker recognising dignitaries.
He said: “We actually are making a move to ensure that we cut off protocol from official engagement.
“We are working to get approval to ensure that once the MC has recognized people, we do not waste time for everybody coming on the stage having to recognize people.”
Issa-Onilu also clarified occassion where the three stanzas of the national anthem are to be recited.
He said the Federal Executive Council approved that only the first stanza be recited at every other occassion but the three at the national day, Democracy day, inauguration of the president or the national assembly.
According to him, “I also noticed that when the national anthem was recited, people were surprised that it was only one stanza. So, the Federal Executive Council has approved that in events like this, it’s only the first stanza.
“You will recall that in the past, it was only the arrival of compatriots that we were reciting. So, it’s only the fiForcstanza.
“The three stanzas are taken only when we are having the Independence Anniversary, the June 12th anniversary, Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the inauguration of the president or the national assembly.
“These are the occassions where we take the three stanzas. And the third stanza has also been approved as the national prayer. So, when we have events like this, we can use the third stanza as our national prayer.”
