once again rep sunday nd his colleagues have got it off the mark. l am lucky to have been in the 70s and grew up to see state flags being hoisted all over, inscribed on exercise as well as other instructional reading materials provided to pupils in primary schools by the then responsive state governments. commercial taxi cabs and also buses were mandatorily painted in state colours. vp sambo hoisted state flags as a prelude to the inauguration of the on-going national sports festival in lagos.

In a family the children have their personal (first) name and their father's (surname) name. The fact that a child has his personal name does not mean that he is no longer a member of the family, or that he wants the family to divide.

In Nigeria we have people who identify themselves as Efik, Anangs, Edo, Tiv, Jukun, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv, Bachama, etc. The fact that they identify with these groups does not mean that they are no longer Nigerians (some of these groups have their own colour, eg, the Tiv are known for their black and white attire).

So, why do some people believe that state flags are a sign of division?

(Answer: prolonged military rule).

If the reps want to amend the law (which I don't believe should be our priority at this time), the only amendment I can think of would be to ban state governors and other government officials from flying party flags on their official vehicles.

These vehicles were bought with public funds, which means they belong to the people/government and that includes members of all the political parties and even citizens who are not members of any party. Why should you fly the flag of a political party on public property? Instead, the governors should fly both the national flag (which must be on the right) and the state flag (which must be on the left) on their official vehicles.

Why aren't the reps planning to ban political party and trade union flags and anthems? Aren't they a sign of "division"?

Benue-Plateau State (1967-1970)

Bayelsa


[img]https://www.nairaland.com/attachments/886102_Balyesa-Logo1_jpg0124376c465373f6ecbb2c81111b9be9[/img]

North-Western State (1967-1970)

Ok now, naptu.....kedu kodu.

Nna, arent you missing the Biafran flag?

Negro_Ntns: Ok now, naptu.....kedu kodu.

Nna, arent you missing the Biafran flag?

They are all on the other thread.

1) Biafran Flag.
2) Benin Republic (during the Mid-West invasion).
3) Benin Empire.
4) Oyo Empire.
5) Northern Republic Flag (during "araba" )

6) Sokoto Caliphate (and associated flags).

7) Tiv Kingdom.

Flag of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

9) Flag of the President of Nigeria.

10) Flag of the Governor-General of Nigeria


And many more.

https://www.nairaland.com/1062509/nigeria-good-bad-beautiful-ugly/32

Some of these flags are damn funny

PointB: I don't get this argument of threat to National Unity. Is national unituy sacrosanct? If people feel alienated by the country shouldn't they seek solace and outlet in their state, culture, and symbolism associated with it? It will be a shame if SW, and other affected reps fail to stand their ground on this issue.

How can a state that get monthly allocation in billions of naira come back to claim its being alienated from who? South west in particular guilty of this rubbis*h! All of them with state anthem, flag and coat of arm! While I don't ve issues with that, but why relegate national flag and anthem at the background! Its in Nigeria a man turned a constitutionally given name of a state from osun state to State of Osun, and I wonder why Fed government has not ordered him to revert to the name given to him by the constitution or risk loosing its monthly allocation, because allocation ment for Osun State cannot be given to be spent by a Governor of State of Osun, this is a legal issue and I think an Osun citizen or any Nigerian should take up this matter in court. Sorry to say it, most South west state becuase its in opposition has a way of seeing its self as an independent republic within Nigeria, yet non survives on its own, monthly they come to share from the revenue that accrues from oil of Niger Delta. Our unity and national cohesion must not be negotiated, if states must have state flag, it must be mounted behind and lower than the national flag to depict submission to sovereignty of Nigeria, if a state must have a state anthem, it must only be sung after the national anthem and pledge. The bill is a wise one, so that the citizens of these states see themselves first as Nigerians before their states!

You got the protocol right regarding state flags, but you got it wrong with regards to anthems.

Regarding state flags, the law states: -

if the flag of a State and the National Flag are to be flown at the same time in a public place in that State or elsewhere in Nigeria, the National Flag of at least the same size as the State flag shall fly above that of any State flag.

Furthermore, when flown on an official vehicle, the national flag must be flown at the right side of the vehicle, while any other flag that is flown must be flown at the left side of the vehicle.


With regards to anthems, protocol demands that the national anthem must always be played 2nd or last, as the case may be. That's why, if you notice, during football matches, the visiting team's anthem is played first before the home team's anthem is played.

Similarly, during state visits, the visiting head of state's anthem must be played before the Nigerian anthem.
http://nigerianobservernews.com/07102011/features/features1.html

This is similar to the order of arrival and salute at state functions. Protocol demands that the President must be the last dignitary to arrive the venue.

For example, this is the order of arrival/salute during independence day and armed forces remembrance day celebrations.

Military rule.

1) Service Chiefs - Receive the General Salute.

2) Minister of Defence/Chief of Defence Staff/Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff - Receives the National Salute (first stanza of the National Anthem).

3) Chief Justice of Nigeria - Receives the General Salute.

4) Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters/Chief of General Staff - Receives the General Salute.

5) Head of State/President/Commander in Chief - Receives the National Salute (full anthem).


Civilian rule.

1) Service Chiefs: Receive the General Salute.

2) Chief of Defence Staff: Receives the General Salute.

3) Minister of Defence: Receives the General Salute.

4) Chief Justice of Nigeria: Receives the General Salute.

5) Speaker, House of Representatives: Receives the General Salute.

6) Senate President: Receives the General Salute.

7) Vice President: Receives the National Salute (first stanza of the National Anthem).

8 ) President & Commander in Chief - Receives the National Salute (full anthem).

Below, flag of the Commander in Chief of The Armed Forces of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (which must always be flown to the left, while the National Flag is at the right). It is an offence for anybody, except the Commander in Chief, to fly this flag.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/887871_Armed20Forces20Commander20in20Chief20Flag_pngf0d6698c0e1326f0ad32feedea6d2965

In the words of my late professor, "the military governments mistook unity to mean uniformity".

We should celebrate our unity in diversity. Both elements are important; unity and diversity. It would be wrong to try and enforce uniformity. Our founding fathers recognised that diversity, that's why they opted for a federal system, rather than a unitary system (which Ghana adopted).

If, in trying to enforce uniformity, you decide to ban state flags and anthems, then you might as well ban Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Fulfude, Tiv and Kanuri languages and impose a uniform language. You should also ban all distinctive traditional attires and impose a uniform traditional attire.

I wish you good luck as you try to do that.