The Executive Secretary/CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Assoc. Prof. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has again stressed the need for parents to ensure their children speak indigenous languages and take pride in our indigenous dresses.

Ayakoroma, who made this known during the Children’s Cultural Extravaganza, organized by the Institute on Friday, 26th May, 2017 at the Merit House, Abuja-FCT, to commemorate the 2017 International Children’s Day, said parents have a role to play by making sure they teach them things about their culture and history so that they will not only be attuned to contemporary developments but be culturally oriented.

According to him, the learning of indigenous language comes with knowledge of indigenous culture and the Institute decided to bring together students of NICO Cultural Clubs in Secondary Schools in Abuja to create an atmosphere for them to take pride in our culture.

His words: “Children like things that are indigenous. Take, for instance, their rendition of the National Anthem in the various languages and the dress parade; once given that opportunity, they will never forget the experience because you could see the enthusiasm in them.

“Parents have a role to play; the school system could also assist in this very direction by making sure they teach them things about their culture and history, so that they will be attuned to contemporary developments but culturally oriented”.

Ayakoroma maintained that children are the leaders of tomorrow and if you can change the mindset of the younger generation, then you have changed Nigeria: “We are talking about corruption in Nigeria, somebody who has known the sweetness of money, it is very difficult for you to tell such a person not to love money but once you indoctrinate this children and imbibe that culture oriented lifestyle in them, by the time they grow up, they will know what is good or bad culturally, know what will make them move forward or move the society forward”.

He therefore advised that orientation programmes of government should be geared towards children, saying if they are well-oriented, whatever they see in the society that is wrong, they can equally effect the much-needed change.

Caleb Nor

Media Assistant to ES

NICO HQ, Abuja