The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has received the approval of the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-Gen Maharazu Ismaila Tsiga, to use Corps Members for the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP), just as the learning and speaking of indigenous languages will break ethnic barriers in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, who disclosed this in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said the approval would enable those who studied Nigerian Languages to be used as Resource Persons to drive the programme in various Study Centres.
He added that the approval was also in answer to a letter by the Institute to the NYSC requesting that Corps Members who are graduates of Nigerian Indigenous Languages be deployed to NICO for the Indigenous Language programme.
The ES said: “I am happy to announce that we have written and gotten the approval of the DG, NYSC, to post Corps Members who studied Nigerian Indigenous Languages to NICO for NILP.’’
He continued: “The NILP is one programme that will break ethnic barriers in Nigeria. For instance, if there is crisis, the women married from that tribe appeal to their brothers to stop the war, because it will affect them. Language is a potent weapon for creating unity and mutual understanding as well as development. NILP will help bridge the barrier between two people in the sense that the moment you understand one indigenous language other than your own, the speakers of that language can easily communicate with you and understand you better. That is why in the NICO Training School, we do not allow students to enroll for their own language. You have to enroll for another language. Assuming you are Yoruba, you cannot register Yoruba. You have to study another language other than your own original language. The same thing applies to Igbo, Ijaw, Hausa, etc. Through that way, we can make Nigerians understand each other. This will help our unity in this country.’’
Nwagbo Nnenyelike
Corporate Affairs