Members of the House of Representatives held a near rowdy session on Thursday as they debated a bill to enact the National Symbols Act.

It took the intervention of the presiding Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, to ensure that the situation was brought under control.
Some lawmakers from the South-West states saw the bill as a move to interfere with their self identities and the rights of federating states to promote their culture and way of life.
Others, however, argued that the recent trend, where certain states are designing their on flags, anthem and coats of arms was a threat to national unity.
The sponsor of the bill, Mr. Karimi Sunday, told the House that at least 12 states in the country now had their own flags and other emblems.
He said, “The latest one is Bayelsa State. Almost all the states in the South-West have their own flags.
“In the North, Kwara has, and so on.”

He alleged that it had got to a point where some states no longer displayed the national flag but their state flags.

Sunday explained that while a state could have a flag, it was wrong for it to have an anthem and a pledge.
Where a state has a flag, he said, the state should display it beside the national flag.
He said, “No state should have a state anthem and a state pledge.
“The essence of this bill is to foster national unity” by properly defining Nigeria’s national symbols and stating the procedure for acquiring them.”
He argued that the existing law “has several lacunas” and did not give samples of the national symbols, thereby allowing people to design the symbols the way it pleased them.
The Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, however, said care should be taken not to interfere with the rights of some states to have self identity.
He observed that some flags had the coat of arms engraved in the middle, “which is wrong. It is a defaced flag.”

At this point, the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, interrupted and accused Gbajabiamila of losing track of the debate.
He raised a point of order, saying the minority leader was taking a position suggesting that there should be no laid down procedures for doing things in the country.

Speakers were divided, the majority of them opposing the bill.
The voice vote for were taken three times before Ihedioha ruled in favour of passing the bill for second reading.

http://www.punchng.com/news/reps-split-over-state-flags-coats-of-arms/

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.

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.

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.

National unity remains sacrosanct untill a federating unit is granted or gains autonomy. Any policy or programme that threaten national unity must be crushed with a sledge hammer. The introduction of flag, anthem, pledge and other rituals like forceful introduction and embrace of foreign languages are threats. The NASS must look into it

This is not even a recent development. Before 1960 each region had its regional flag. The regions also had their regional flags between 1960-1966. Each state had its state flag between 1967-1970 and many states have had their flags, coat of arms and anthem since then. It's a sign of federalism (Nigeria is a federal republic).

The practice is found in other federations across the world and those federations have not broken up. What's all the hullabaloo about?

HammedSodiqq:
National unity remains sacrosanct untill a federating unit is granted or gains autonomy. Any policy or programme that threaten national unity must be crushed with a sledge hammer. The introduction of flag, anthem, pledge and other rituals like forceful introduction and embrace of foreign languages are threats. The NASS must look into it

If National Unity remains sacrosanct as you put it, then every request for autonomy, loose federation etc will also be crushed by the NASS as they also threaten national unity. We simply should not cut our noses to spite our faces.

Each state of the United States of America has its own flag, yet the US hasn't broken up.

The federating units of Nigeria have had their individual flags since 1960, yet Nigeria hasn't broken up. What are these people talking about? Do they know what federalism is about?

I don't understand what is threatening to national unity when the country is ibinitio a threat to her sovereign identity. Nigeria has got it wrong byworking against her initial ideas of a federation where each federating units maintains some rights and freedom which includes state flag and anthem. We keep postponing the evil day, pls who will tell this people that they can only fight the truth but for a while.. Let me fold my hands and watch how this plays itself out.

Elueme: I don't understand what is threatening to national unity when the country is ibinitio a threat to her sovereign identity. Nigeria has got it wrong byworking against her initial ideas of a federation where each federating units maintains some rights and freedom which includes state flag and anthem. We keep postponing the evil day, pls who will tell this people that they can only fight the truth but for a while.. Let me fold my hands and watch how this plays itself out.

+100

PointB:

If National Unity remains sacrosanct as you put it, then every request for autonomy loose federation etc will also be crushed by the NASS as they also threaten national unity. We simply should cut our nose to spite our faces.

Granting the federating units power to generate revenue and make some laws as captured in the concurrent and residual list doesn't amount to independence. When states begin to go beyound their bound to canvass for what is inimical to our corporate existence, their excesses must be checked.

HammedSodiqq:
Granting the federating units power to generate revenue and make some laws as captured in the concurrent and residual list doesn't amount to independence. When states begin to go beyound their bound to canvass for what is inimical to our corporate existence, their excesses must be checked.

The fact that a state has a flag and coat off arms does not amount to independence from Nigeria. You really need to read the 1960 constitution.

In a proper federation, the federating units have some autonomy. It was military rule that introduced unitary system of government into Nigeria. We are just trying to go back to true federalism as practiced in the first republic.

Issues that borders on national unity and integration, are not negotiable. What defines the identity of a particular state must not necessarily be the cloth that is sewn to represent flag, or the colors therein. Our identities are in our cultures, values, moralities, religion, and so on. Can't the federating state carve a unique identity for themselves by constructing roads, hospitals, and other infrastructure? Must we be known only through flags? Nigeria must remain one. Our fathers fought and died to preserve what we are joking with

The practice is only strange to people who grew up or were raised under military rule enforced unitary system, whereas the constitution defines Nigeria as a "federal republic".

The states have always had their flags (1960-present). It didn't start today, it does not mean they want to break away and it is not strange. The practice is common in a federal system.

I will show you Nigerian state flags from independence to date and also show you US state flags.

Lagos (pre-1960)


Federal Capital Territory Lagos (1960-1967). Lagos State (1967-1970).


Lagos State 1970-present

Cross River State (1967-1970)


Cross River State (2005-Present)


Cross River State Logo
www.nairaland.com/attachments/886209_Cross20River20State20Logo_jpg55e94982baea13449f5c3e7cb01ea6e0

North-Eastern State (1967-1970)


Below: Current Borno State logo
www.nairaland.com/attachments/886350_Borno_jpg5d25db46356064ef7d65893e00842b18

Joblessness of the first order.

Corporations,village associations and social groups have flags in Nigeria.

naptu2: North-Eastern State (1967-1970)


Below: Current Borno State logo
www.nairaland.com/attachments/886350_Borno_jpg5d25db46356064ef7d65893e00842b18

peace in deed!

As I read ur posts my eyes watered a little. I see we have learned men in the forum,...at least there is hope for NL. If only we had similar such among our law makers. They are mostly all bunches of ignorant non entries.

East Central State (1967-1970)



Below: Current Anambra State logo
www.nairaland.com/attachments/886348_Anambra20State20Logo_pnga930863c4e797d761b1926bdc5f7badf

terrorism, corruption, illiteracy, unemployment and poor infrastructural development to say a few are tearing the entity call Nigeria apart and all these bunches could do is to fight over flag?... which way nigeria

I just wish all of us can be proud of the green white green flag,all these agitations will not take us anywhere,ideally true federalism entails a lot of factors like the control of state resources,state police etc but it's obvious that we haven't gotten to that stage yet.We must cherish our unity in diversity cos it's a very big advantage,all these governors and laws supporting attributes of division must be called to order....

How many bills have the NASS debated for the insecurity and Corruption in Nigeria. Shameless NASS

And they've failed to Realize that Ethnocentrism, Religious intolerance and corruption are the real threats to Nigeria's Unity...
Na Overpopulation in the legislative house dey worry them. Msheeeew

In a family, if you try and put two children together "by force" (force them to go to a place together, etc), you will only end up creating quarrels, resentment and enmity between them. However, if they each have their space, they will naturally interact and yet still have their own space and time. The former is unitary system, the latter is federalism.

drnoel: As I read ur posts my eyes watered a little. I see we have learned men in the forum,...at least there is hope for NL. If only we had similar such among our law makers. They are mostly all bunches of ignorant non entries.

Wait Till they get there

Ogun State


Ogun State Anthem (I heard this anthem for the first time in 1986)

Ise ya a
Ise ya a a
Ise ya a a
Omo Ogun
ise ya a
Olodumare ise ma ya o e e
Ise ya

Enyin omo Ogun e se giri
Ise po fun wa lati se e e
Omo rere ki isa se e
Omo Ogun ki i s’o le e
Ebere gb’eru o o
Olorun mbe fun wa
E tera mose o oIse ya

Omo Ogun ise ya a


Ogun State logo
www.nairaland.com/attachments/887098_OgunStateLogo_jpga994362673ff188939c37ab5def18340

oh boy! yhu go fear flag na...see 1 big cow inside sum people flag northeastern naija wunna funny, sum na elephant sef!

Dat Borno flag got me LOL, if only they knew the abu Qaqa's and Shekau would emerge.

Iseya iseya omo ogun ise ya
Eledumare ise maya o e ise ya

Omo rere kii sa se
Omo ogun kii so le

E bere gberu o
Olorun nbe fun wa e tera mo se o

Iseya omo ogun ise ya

Eastern Region (1960-1966)


Western Region (1960-1966)


Northern Region (1960-1966)


Mid-West Region (1964-1966)