Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), will, beginning from the next Academic Session, award graduands of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) Training School appropriate certificates as approved by the Senate of the University and accord proper recognition to the professional Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma certificates of the Training School, as a requirement for admission.
Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Muhammadu Akaro Mainoma disclosed this in a Goodwill Message in Lagos, Saturday, August 16, 2014 at the 2nd Convocation Ceremony of NICO Training School for graduands of the 2012/2013 academic session, which took place at the Cinema Hall of National Theatre, Iganmu-Lagos.
According to him, Nasarawa State University recognises the strategic role of culture as the superstructure upon which sustainable national development could be achieved, stressing that the ongoing affiliation process of the Training School to the University was a representation of the University’s commitment to contributing to national development.
His words: “Our signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with NICO three years ago, which kick-started the process of its affiliation to our university was done after close scrutiny of the curriculum, faculty and antecedents of the Institute and we are convinced that as the only Institute empowered by law to train Nigerian’s and non-Nigerians alike on cultural administration and diplomacy, NICO Training School deserves all the support and collaboration it requires to execute that mandate.”
By next session, when we hope the process of affiliation would have been perfected, graduands of NICO Training School will be awarded appropriate certificates as approved by the Senate of the University. Also, the Nasarawa State University will accord proper recognition to professional diploma certificates of the NICO Training School as requirements for admission,” he averred.
Regretting that some of the challenges Nigeria is currently grappling with in terms of corruption and insecurity were a direct consequence of the neglect of our core traditional values, Mainona said there was no doubt that the drivers of governance needed reorientation on our traditional values in order to reposition them.
He therefore commended the purposeful driven leadership of the Institute, led by Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma for the tenacity of purpose and commitment to administrative and academic excellence, saying with such focused leadership, NICO and its Training School remained worthy partners of Nasarawa State University.
As it is in institutions of higher learning, the Convocation Ceremony was preceded by a Convocation Lecture on the topic, “Repositioning Nigeria’s Cultural Industries for Economic Empowerment and Social Security,” on Friday, 15th August, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, which was presented by university don and Director of Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Professor Effiong Etim Johnson.
Caleb Nor
Corporate Affair Unit
NICO, Abuja