The Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has been called upon to extend his value re-orientation initiative to the domain of traditional monarchs through workshops on cultural matters.

The Agboloto of Badagry Kingdom, High Chief Owheton Ahunbe, made the call at the 2nd NICO Annual Public Lecture, which took place at Cinema Hall 1, National Arts Theatre, Iganmu-Lagos, noting that there is need for cultural decorum among Nigerian children and youths.

The member of the Badagry Local Government Chieftaincy Committee urged NICO, as the apex Institute harnessing Nigerian culture, to actualize these noble objectives, adding that such workshops will ensure cultural awareness and deep knowledge of Nigerian culture.

According to him: “There should be workshops for Nigerian traditional rulers; such will help to bring deep knowledge of our culture to these custodians of their people. Even our children and youths, we need to change their attitudes to suit our culture. Most of them dress awkwardly. With what NICO has been doing in the area of culture, I know they are capable of doing all these.”

Responding, Mrs. Bridget Yerima, the Head of NICO Lagos Liaison Office, who gave vote of thanks, informed the traditional ruler that NICO has faced the issues of giving proper cultural orientation to our youths and children, as there is no programme the Institute organises without inviting students, to enable them observe and know what we do regarding culture for national development and societal values.

Mrs. Yerima also cited the NICO Cultural Clubs in Secondary Schools, which are being used by the Institute in bringing children together for cultural activities that will guide them, so that they grow up with such cultural values impacted on them.

Earlier in his remarks, the ES had hinted that it was because of the vital role of culture in the society that NICO, through its programmes, promotes value-orientation and effect a sense of cultural direction for national growth, adding that culture will help Nigeria achieve vision the 20:2020 Blueprint.

The ES said: “The vital role culture could pay in contemporary developments informed the need to occasionally revisit and reappraise our value system to discern whether we are still on the right track. We cannot afford to pay lip service to the culture sector anymore. We need to explore the comparative advantage of the sector to national development. NICO will continue to pursue its mandate in this regard.”

The Public Lecture, which was delivered by Professor Olusegun Ojewuyi of the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIUC), USA, on the topic Katanfuru: The Illogic of Culture-Nomics in Nigerian Cultural Administration was under the theme: The Economics of Cultural Administration in Nigeria: Leapfrogging Through the Dark Tunnel, and it attracted personalities from culture, arts, educational, administrative and political sectors.

The dignitaries include, the Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, represented by Mr. Daniel Tifato, Director National Orientation in the Ministry, the ES, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, the DG, Centre for Management Development (CMD), Dr. Kabir Kabo Usman, the DG, Nigerian Institute for International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Bola Akinterewa and his wife, Artistic Director National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr. Martin Adaji, High Chief Owheton Ahunbe, the Agboloto of Badagry Kingdom, Chief Segun Olusola, Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Alhaji Idi Farouk, represented by Mr. Waheed Ishola, Director, National Orientation Agency, Lagos State, the Executive Director of Centre for Blacks and African Arts & Civilisation (CBAAC), Professor Tunde Babawale, represented by Dr. Gloria Ibe, a Director, the Executive Director of National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC), Mr. MM Maidugu, represented by Mrs. Chinwe Abara, Head of Lagos office of NCAC, Mr. Francis Onwochei, Mr. Zik Zulu Okafor, and Mr. Ben Tomoloju, among others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nwagbo Nnenyelike
Corporate Affairs