The Deputy Director, Administration and Human Resources, National Institute for Cultural Orientation(NICO), Mrs Jane Anigala has charged the 2018 participants of the just concluded NICO one-month Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP), to attend the Weekend edition of the programme starting in October, 2018, and to continuously communicate in the languages learnt with native speakers so as to attain fluency.
Anigala, who represented the Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Louis Eriomala, gave the charge at the closing ceremony of the programme. She said that the programme which was originally designed to take place during the school long vacation in August for children to enable them communicate in their mother tongue due to the threat of extinction of indigenous languages.
However, this was extended to adults having observed that they too needed it. She appreciated the participants for making out time to attend the programme, promising that their observations and contributions would be considered.
Assistant Director and Head, Cultural Unit NICO, Mr. Segun Adegbaju in his remarks affirmed that the programme was designed for participants to acquire knowledge, and justify the certificate of participation given to them by making effort to communicate in the learnt language wherever they go especially with native speakers. This will avail them the opportunity to be corrected where they make mistake and master the languages. He commended them for their brilliant performances during the language examinations.
The participants were also allowed to express their views about the one-month programme. In their responses, they appreciated NICO for organising such a wonderful programme and giving them the opportunity to be part of it. A request was made for the audio version of the programme to be considered and made available to help participants after the course.
The 2018 NICO one month language programme which started on August 1, 2018 was attended by 119 Registered Participants at the Abuja Study Centre were drawn from the National Population Commission (NPC), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism Study (NIHOTOUR), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Army, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), University of Abuja, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) among others out of which 80 students wrote the examinations and given certificate of Participation.
It would be recalled that the NICO one- month edition of the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) started in 2007 as part of reviving and revamping the Nigerian indigenous languages that are gradually going into extinction; as a well as avail Nigerians and foreign natives who have interest to learn and speak Nigerian languages.
Njideka Dimgba
Corporate Affairs Unit,
NICO Headquarters, Abuja.