The national flag is a symbol of patriotism, strength and unity of any given nation, which is meant to be treated with so much respect. But in Nigeria, the reverse seems to be the case as the national flag is being treated with so much disdain. Kehinde ajobiewe writes.
T he national flag is a symbol of a country’s identity. Usually, flags have their connotations; means different things depending on the colours and symbols they carry.
For instance, the Nigerian flag comprises of green colour which stands for the lush green forest and agricultural wealth of the country and white colour that represents the peace and unity prevailing in the country.
But instead of respecting the national symbols as it is done in other countries, Nigerians seem to give no value to the national flag.
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY observed that while most adults cannot recite the national anthem and pledge correctly, most organisations, including government agencies display tattered and dirty pieces of green and white clothes as national flag.
It is worthy of note that flags have great importance and they depict patriotism, a country’s strength and unity, so it’s expected that people of particular country must always show reverence for the flags. And this simply means that people must not treat the flag with disdain, you must respect the flag and it is expected to be flying in full mast.
Because when a flag is flying in full mast, it simply indicates that the country is on top of its affairs, and it’s doing well. But sometimes, the government of the day can direct that the flag should be lowered or be made to fly at half-mast, that could be when there is a disaster or tragedy of a national magnitude and once the government passes that instruction, it is expected that the entire citizen of that country will obey it.
Failure to obey such a directive from the president could translate to be a criminal offence which is an offence against the state.
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY also learnt that in some places, disrespect for the national flag goes beyond criminal offence; it becomes a treasonable offence, which simply means that whoever is found culpable of showing disrespect to the flag could be sent to jail. In the time past, such a person could be executed, because showing disrespect to the flag is as weighty as showing disrespect to the king or ruler of that given country.
Mr. Johnson Oko, a Scout member, told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY that people often display flags that are worn out, dirty or weather-beaten”. In societies where real respect is accorded to the flag, such people also, could be prosecuted for flying flags that do not depict the importance of their country.
They legalise it such that when you run any flag that is worn out; it simply means you are not running the national flag but your own piece of rag”.
The Director General of the Flag Foundation of Nigeria, Mr. Chris Agiri said that the Nigerian flag represent the collective will of Nigerians. “It is a symbolic national unifier and it is also a property that is jointly owned by all Nigerians in equal capacity”.
He said that the Nigerian national flag came into existence via an act of the parliament known as the flag and coat of arms ordinance 48 of September 16, 1960, where the parliament sitting in Lagos passed the resolution.
According to him, “the 1999 constitution as amended, part 2, section 23, talks about the national ethics which it says “shall be discipline, integrity, dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance, self-reliance and patriotism.
The constitution says that “it shall be the duty of every citizen to abide by this constitution, respect these ideals and institutions; the national flag, the national anthem, the national pledge and legitimate authorities; these are what we call the national symbol family aided by the national flag, then the coat of arms.”
He further stated that though the Nigerian flag is one of the best of all the national flags of different countries of the world; ironically it is the most disrespected by both the citizens and the government, adding that the Act that brought the flag into existence stipulates some do’s and don’ts about it.
“Some people display it tattered, and some others in a defaced manner. If you go round the country; you will find some organisations with their bigger corporate flags flying alongside an embarrassingly? miniature cut-and-sewn green- white-green as national flag.
Some go as far as flying their corporate flags higher than even the national flag, some will put their corporate flags on both the right and left sides and place one little thing at the centre in the name of national flag. In government offices, you will be amazed to find that in most cases, the national flags are torn, meaning they do not understand the importance as well as the significance of the flag”, he stated.
On what could be the best solution to restoring the dignity of the national symbols, he said the citizens should be educated in order for them to understand that the flag is the strongest instrument that can be used in mobilising the citizens either for good or for bad.
Agiri, however, opined that the Act establishing the national symbols should be amended. According to him, “one of the things governments can do, which we are proposing is the amendment of that Act; first to make room for stiffer penalties against those that abuse the national flag.
The existing Act stipulates N100 fine against those who abuse it, in fact there is a group in the United States that is pushing for life sentence for anybody that abuses the national flag”.