Councils of Arts & Culture and History & Culture Bureaux of the various States in the federation have been urged to take advantage of the training programmes of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) to build the capacity of their staffers about Nigerian culture and improve their job performance.  

This was contained in the Communiqué of the 40th Session of the Chief Executives of Culture (CEC) of the Federation, which took place in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, from the 6th – 9th May, 2014, adding that such opportunity will help culture workers in the States to be well-grounded in the administration of culture in Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, had in his brief during the technical session to “the elders of the tribe,” as the gathering is fondly referred to, highlighted the programmes and activities of the Institute since the last CEC meeting held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, expressing optimism that the forthcoming National Conference on Culture, Peace and National Security for Traditional Rulers, slated for 26th & 27th, May 2014, at Arewa House, Kaduna, will add to the numerous success stories recorded by the Institute.

According to Dr. Ayakoroma, capacity building was critical to the realization of set goals in the culture sector, and that to this end, he was accompanied to the meeting by the Director of NICO Training School, Mrs. Brigitte Yerima, to further sensitize members on the innovative training programmes in Cultural Administration at Diploma and Postgraduate levels that NICO provides.

Earlier, the Executive Director of National Council for Arts & Culture and Chairman of the meeting, Mr. Mwajim Malgwi Maidugu, in his Welcome Address, noted that CEC is the foremost platform to use culture to make Nigeria become a developed economy, and expressed appreciation to members for their commitment to move the country forward despite visible constraints.

DSCF7436Declaring the meeting open, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency Chief Martin Elechi, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ebonyi State, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, stated that culture, which is vital to national stability and peaceful coexistence, must be promoted in society, so as to revitalise the eroding cultural values and make them relevant to national development.

The meeting, which was organised by National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC), was attended by CEOs of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), the Centre for Blacks and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), as well as the executives of State Councils of Arts and Culture/History and Culture Bureaux.

NICO’s delegation to the meeting aside the ES, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, included Director, NICO Training School, Mrs. Brigitte Yerima, Coordinator, South East Zone, Mrs. Chioma Duru, and the Head, NICO Enugu State Office, Mr. Nnaemeka Nwajagu.

Tony Okafor

Corporate Affairs

NICO Training School