The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has launched a firm campaign to curtail what it terms extreme and indecent “sign-out” ceremonies among graduating students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
This announcement was made by the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented at the event by Deputy Director-General Anita Ukamaka, during the flag-off of a nationwide drive to promote government policies, programmes, and national values.
Issa-Onilu expressed deep concern over growing tendencies among students to deface their white shirts with bold marker signatures during graduation rites.
“Some female students go as far as exposing their bodies, including their chests, for signatures,” he lamented, describing the act as morally wrong and at odds with Nigeria’s cherished cultural values.
He stressed NOA’s commitment to addressing these behaviours directly.
“In the next couple of weeks, the Agency will be physically engaging the public in the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and all 774 local government areas. We will also be visiting higher institutions for advocacy,” he said .
The campaign, he explained, adopts a “boots-on-the-ground” approach, enabling Nigerians to interact directly with officials, seek clarifications, and provide feedback on government initiatives.
This move by NOA aligns with a broader shift across Nigerian educational institutions that have begun discouraging or banning “sign-out” practices.
Notably, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has imposed an indefinite ban on the tradition, citing risks of chaos, disorderly conduct, and property damage. The university emphasised the safety risks posed by unauthorised individuals entering campuses during such celebrations .
Beyond the focus on student conduct, the NOA sensitisation drive will also promote proper waste disposal and improved drainage maintenance, with an eye to reducing flood risks.
Issa-Onilu cited recent flood disasters in Niger, Kogi, Rivers, Anambra, and Bayelsa States, and warned that poor drainage and indiscriminate dumping of waste are key contributors to these recurrent calamities.
He further emphasised that Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) issues early warning advisories with approximately 90 per cent accuracy, urging the public to heed these notices.
He also noted a ₦3 billion per state allocation in 2024 under the Presidential Flood Mitigation directive, aimed at drainage clearance and relocation efforts.
Issa-Onilu concluded by reaffirming that the agency’s third-quarter sensitisation initiative is designed not only to deepen public understanding of government programmes but also to discourage harmful youth practices.
- Corruption In Sports A Reflection of Nigeria’s Deeper Malaise – Obi - October 27, 2025
- NDLEA Arrests Socialite, Others at Lagos Nightclub Drug Party - October 26, 2025
- Hisbah Arrests 25 Over Alleged Same-Sex Marriage Ceremony in Kano - October 26, 2025