The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma has called for aggressive and sustained sensitization and public enlightenment campaigns for all segments of the society on the culture of peace, saying that is the veritable way the conflicts bedevilling the country could be abated.

Ayakoroma, who made this call, Monday, 26th May, 2014 while welcoming participants at the opening ceremony of the 2nd NICO National Conference with the theme, “Culture, Peace and National Security: The Role of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria’s Democracy,” at the Arewa House, Kaduna, lamented that since the return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the country has continued to witness different types of conflicts which have escalated to criminality, insurgency, terrorism and general insecurity.

According to him, the conference was conceived to proffer solutions to the lingering spate of violence and terrorism, which has constituted a threat to Nigeria’s existence as a nation, but that to achieve the objective, stakeholders such as the Emirs, Obas, Igwe’s, Amanyanabos, Chiefs, opinion leaders and social groups must see it as a collective responsibility to chart the way forward for Nigeria.

IMG 1206Expressing optimism that with discipline, hard work, selflessness, patriotism and dedication, the Nigerian ship of state would continue to sail and anchor safely to the surprise of cynics and detractors, the NICO boss maintained that effective security management in the country would depend largely on the complementary roles of states and local governments as well as traditional institutions, stressing that particularly, traditional rulers as custodians of culture have very critical roles to play in ensuring the peace, stability and progress of their domains.

His words: “We should perform well to leave lasting legacies because posterity will judge us by our actions and inactions. If we catapult the country to the precipice through our actions or inactions, there will be no continuity in office or takeover of the government.”

This is the second in the series of the conference, which aims at deepening traditional rulers’ understanding of the significant role of culture in national development.

Caleb Nor

Corporate Affairs

NICO, Abuja