NOA applauds Hilda Bassey, urges students to emulate her values

The National Orientation Agency has commended Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong-Bassey, also known as Hilda Baci, for her remarkable accomplishment of cooking continuously for 100 hours in an attempt to set a new world record.

The agency said the attempt, which proves dignity in labour, represented core values needed for the growth and development of the country.

It will be recalled that Baci set a new record on Monday for the longest cooking hour by an individual, surpassing the previous record held by Indian chef, Lata Tandon, who set a Guinness World Record for cooking for 87 hours and 45 minutes non-stop in 2019.

Though the feat has yet to be acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records, many Nigerians, including the NOA, have commended the achievement.

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Speaking at a stakeholders meeting tagged “Re-orientation on National Core Values for Secondary Schools” on Wednesday, the agency’s Director General, Garba Abari, emphasised the importance of the values demonstrated during the cooking challenge and encouraged the students to emulate the chef.

The DG, represented by the Director, Human Resources Management, Kehinde Ogunkuade, stated, “As part of the core values of the country’s constitution, the attempt shows that there is dignity in labour and that everyone can do well in his or her endeavour.

“I advise the student to learn from the attempt. Don’t copy what is wrong; do what is right, and have the confidence that you will succeed in everything you do.”

Additionally, the DG called for a rethink of national core values due to the moral decadence prevalent in secondary schools, as youth are essential to any nation’s prosperity.

He noted that it is imperative to equip them with the necessary tools and values that will enable them to become responsible and productive citizens.

He said, “The National Orientation Agency recognises the need to inculcate national core values in our young people. These values, such as integrity, social justice, patriotism, discipline, the dignity of labour, religious tolerance, and self-reliance, are important to the growth of our youth and the development of our nation.

“Unfortunately, in recent times, there has been a decline in the practice of these values in our society, and this has affected the attitudes and behaviour of our young people. Many of us, as adults and parents, have lost sight of the importance of these values and have become apathetic to their role as agents of positive change for our children.

“This is why the National Orientation Agency has deemed it necessary to embark on a re-orientation programme for secondary school students in Nigeria. Our aim is to sensitise and educate them on the importance of these core values and to empower them to become worthy ambassadors of change in their communities.”

In his remarks, the president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Audu Amba, expressed concern that schools are becoming breeding grounds for social vices and called for necessary measures to discourage children, especially secondary school students, from engaging in crimes that are antithetical to effective teaching.

“Education is an instrument for national development and social change, and until the education system in Nigeria is aimed at inculcating national consciousness, values, and national unity and developing the individual into a morally sound, patriotic, and effective citizen, social vices such as cultism, drug abuse, examination malpractices, gambling, and indecent dressing may remain prevalent,” he said.