The Honourable Minister of Tourism, Culture and Orientation, Chief Edem Duke has commended the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) for its Annual Lectures that provides a platform for cross fertilization of ideas and objectives that aligns with the Government Policies on the use of Arts and Culture in the growth and development of our economy. The encomium was given during the 2nd Edition of an Annual Public Lecture organized by NICO at the Cinema Hall of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos on Monday September 19, 2011.
The Minister, who was represented by Mr. Daniel Tifato, Director, National Orientation in the Ministry observed that the Public Lecture as a wonderful initiative in tandem with the direction of Nigeria’s Cultural policy to meet the expectation of the people and he used the occasion to call on all stakeholders in the industry to join hands with the Ministry in building a greater Nigeria through the use of culture.
Chairman of the Governing Board of NICO, Ambassador Ibrahim Abubakar Ganyama also expressed satisfaction to Management for the well organized Public Lecture and emphasized that Cultural Economics if properly harnessed in Nigeria can provide a source of living and market to various communities.
Also, Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr Barclays Ayakoroma, in his Welcome Address urged Nigerians to recognize the importance of Cultural Administration in the mobilization of ideas, formulation of policies and implementation of such policies in the Nation’s cultural context. According to him, the purpose of the lecture is to “enable us device practical ways where our cultural potentials could aid in shoring up the status of our economy”.
The Climax of this event was the brilliant lecture delivered by the Guest Lecturer, Professor Olusegun Ojewuyi, a scholar and a Lecturer in Theatre Arts at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale United States of America. In his lecture titled “Katanfuru: The Illogic of Culture-Nomics in Nigerian Cultural Administration. He highlighted the importance of Culture in society and the banes of Culture in Nigeria such as the secondary position of culture in the Constitution, poor cultural administration, and poor budgetary allocation to the culture sector amongst others.
The Lecture was concluded with recommendations for the culture sector such as the National Campaign for Cultural Studies, the need for a modern and progressive model for cultural organization and administration, building of more Theatres by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation and strong advocacy for the merging of the National Troupe and National theatre under one management.
An interactive session ensued and thereafter the guests were treated to Dance/Drama performance by Ugwumba Cultural group and Atilogwu dance by Awodioha Senior Secondary School.
The event ended with a promise to hold more of such lectures and involve more stakeholders in the cultural sector and with the resolve that as Nigerians we should think globally and act locally.
Ukwu Obianuju
NICO Training School