The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has urged members of Staff of the Institute to be security conscious, noting that the spate of kidnappings and ritual killings had heightened the level of insecurity in the country in recent times.

Narrating the ugly experience of Jerry Adesewo, the Director of Arojah Royal Theatre, Abuja, who fell into the hands of ritual killers recently, the ES counselled that staff have to be security conscious on the road, in their offices and their homes, stressing that they should mind the kind of cabs and buses they enter and the kind of visitors they entertain, because many people have been carried away by the get-rich-quick syndrome in the society.

The ES said that with the harrowing experience of an artist like Jerry Adesewo, who is trying to make a legitimate living, through the theatre, it was imperative that members of staff suggest various ways to avoid such dangers.

Responding, the Director, Administration and Human Resources, Barr. Abayomi Oyelola, thanked the ES for deeming it fit to convene an emergency briefing session, and called on staff to be very sensitive to their environment because things were no longer going right in the society, and that one may not know that one was being monitored, warning that those who go to night clubs should be careful.

On his part, the Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Festus Ihenetu, advised that what was important was for people to be very conscious of what happened around them, because of the many ways deployed by the kidnappers, stressing that staff should avoid being stereotyped in their daily routines.

Also contributing, the Director, Accounts and Finance, Elder Godson Ordu, looked at the issue from the spiritual dimension, urging staff to endeavour to pray at all times and read the Holy Bible, citing Psalms 27 and 121 as relevant portions to guard against the evil plans of enemies.

Concluding the session, the ES urged members of staff to take the message to their various homes, and instructed the Admin Department to prepare a detailed brief on preventive security measures, which would sent to all the NICO Zones offices, because, according to him: “the only way to beat the kidnappers is be conscious of their evil plans and tell people around us.

The kidnap saga of Jerry Adesewo occurred a few days after he organised “Festival of Barclays Ayakoroma Plays (FESTIBAP),” in honour of the ES, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, for his robust contributions to theatre practice in Nigeria, as a renowned playwright, theatre actor/director, film scholar, and astute cultural administrator, and three of his plays, Castles in the Air, Beyond the Camp, and Dance on His Grave, were presented at the French Cultural Centre, Abuja.

 

Nwagbo Nnenyelike

Corporate Affair