President Goodluck Jonathan has been appreciated by the people of his State, Bayelsa, for entrusting the harnessing of Nigerian culture to Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma with His Highness, Kings G Adueze, the Amananaowei 1 of Angiama, Sagbama Local Government Area, disclosing that Ayakoroma’s level of performance, which has proved his ability as an astute cultural administrator, has brought pride, not only to Bayelsans, but to Nigerians.

Others, who joined in thanking Mr. President and praising Dr. Ayakoroma, are the Mayor of Yenagoa City Council, Hon. Mike Ogbolosingha, the General Manager, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Okpoitari Diongoli, and the General Manager, African Independent Television (AIT), Bayelsa State, Mr. Barry Peremongu.

They all spoke at the 3rd edition of the NICO Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, where the Mayor was the Chairman of the occasion. His Highness Adueze, who spoke in an exclusive interview with NICO News, said the Angiama people are happy over the leadership of their son, Dr. Ayakoroma, in NICO. He stressed that they are very proud of him because he has performed to the expectation of President Jonathan, who made his appointment possible.

The royal father said: “We thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who made the appointment of Dr. Ayakoroma possible. We are happy with Dr. Ayakoroma for proving himself. Honestly, from the level of his performance, both the old and young in our community, we are very proud of him with the way he has elevated culture in Nigeria through the awareness he has been creating about Nigerian culture. He has really shown that he has the ability to live up to the challenges of that jurisdiction. With this in mind, I believe he can prove himself the more if he is given a responsibility and office bigger than NICO. I thank Mr. President once more for this opportunity he has given to our son, Dr. Ayakoroma.”

On his part, the Mayor of Yenagoa City Council, Hon. Michael Ogbolosingha, who also granted an exclusive interview with NICO News, stated that Dr. Ayakoroma has connected Nigerian culture to the international community using his opportunity in NICO.

Hon. Ogbolosingha, who disclosed that the NICO boss taught him in the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Port Harcourt, said what impressed him about Dr. Ayakoroma’s approach to cultural affairs in Nigeria, was that he brought his experience as a University lecturer to the administration of culture.

He said: “Dr. Ayakoroma taught me in the University. So, I have always known him as a man of vision. He proved that when he was the Director of Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture. His scholarly touch came to fore. He brought his exposure to the fore. He made the artists of the Council travel far and wide to Europe and many parts of the world. He really brought golden age to Bayelsa culture. His qualities as a University teacher are obvious. We are really missing him in Bayelsa. But we are happy that he has gone higher and that same experience is what he is giving to the whole country. You can agree with me that he is connecting Nigerian culture to the whole world.”


The General Manager, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Okpoitari Diongoli, said Dr. Ayakoroma is doing a good job as the news is all over the country. “I must be frank with you, I watch you on television; I read about your cultural activities in the newspapers; and I see your cultural events on facebook. We are proud with your cultural programmes in NICO. We can give you airtime on a programme on culture on Radio. Please keep the flag of culture flying in Nigeria.”

The General Manager, African Independent Television (AIT), Bayelsa State, Mr. Barry Peremongu, also commended Dr. Ayakoroma for his giant strides in the promotion NICO objectives especially the indigenous language programme, saying it is coming at the right time so that it will help make young Nigerians, who cannot speak their mother tongue, learn the indigenous languages.

Nwagbo Nnenyelike
Corporate Affairs