As the Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, on Wednesday, 23rd October, 2013, inaugurated seven governing boards of parastatals under the ministry, with the chairman of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) governing board, Alhaji Ibrahim Isma’il, pledging his commitment to give professional advice from his wealth of experience, in whatever capacity, for the progress of the institute.

Isma’il, who gave the assurance in an interview with NICO news, shortly after the inauguration of the governing boards at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, expressed delight and readiness to work with the management of the institute to attain greater heights as long as his advisory responsibilities are needed.

“I am equally very delighted to be given this unique opportunity to work in an area which is very dynamic, interesting, exciting and quite intriguing to some degree… I am looking forward to working very closely with the Executive Secretary, who is an expert in the area of culture, to give him advice, because my role is to advice,” he said.

The chairman stressed that as a legal practitioner, who specialized in legislative drafting, and having worked in the public sector for a long period of time in different capacities, as legal adviser, special assistant to former president of Nigeria, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, former Kano State commissioner for information and commissioner for education, chief legal adviser of Kano State Urban Development Board (KASUDB, now KASEPA), he will definitely bring to bear his wealth experience for a fruitful working relationship in the institute.

The parastatals that had their governing boards inaugurated were National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), National Gallery of Art (NGA), National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), and National Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

While performing the inauguration, on behalf of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, urged members to brace up to the challenge facing the culture sector of dearth of resources to executive its mandate.

He encouraged them to use their networks, contacts and wealth of resources to unlock the potentials that abound in the culture sector in order to grow it and project the Nigerian Brand wherever they go, saying: “Nigeria is the brand. For anyone to use the opportunity of leading to project an individual personality, interest or brand, it is a deviation of the culture mandate. It is important for me to make this very very clear because any deviation from this will be a deviation from the mandate we are giving to all of you today.”

Duke reiterated that through massive enlightenment campaigns on value reorientation, a new frontier would be opened to champion the growth of the nation’s economy and they would have registered their names in indelible pages in the history of Nigeria’s tourism, culture and national orientation.

Responding on behalf the governing boards, the chairmen of National Orientation Agency (NOA) governing board, Lt. Col Edoh Obi (rtd), thanked the president for the rare privilege to serve, pledging their commitment and assuring that they would use their wealth of experience to serve the country as chairmen and board members, to bring about collaborations, corporate governance and also bridge the yawning communication gap between the government and the people.

Obi assured that, the contributions of the governing boards will be geared towards achieving the set objectives of the ministry of tourism culture and national orientation, without undue interference.

Other governing board chairmen are Lt. Col Edoh Obi (NOA), Barr. Iboh Ewuobibe (NGA), Gen. Braimoh Yusuf (CBAAC), Alhaji Adamu Attah (NTDC), Chief Marcus Ishiyah; (NTN), and Nollywood icon, Mr. Kanayo O. Kanayo (NIHOTOUR).

Njideka Justina Dimgba
Corporate Affairs
NICO Abuja HQ