The Director, Research and Documentation, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Prince Bamidele Olusa, has applauded the conduct of the one month long Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) being organised by the South-West Zonal Office of the Institute in Akure.
Olusa, who gave the commendation when he visited the Zonal Office on Tuesday, August 12, 2014, as part of the Institute’s monitoring exercise, said he was aware of the challenges encountered in running the programme, but was happy with the way the Zone was going about the programme, adding that it was note worthy that out of about fifty five (55) participants, so far, only one was a member of staff, which showed that the programme was reaching out to the target audience.
The Director visited the various classes at Aquinas College, Akure, and said he was impressed with the number of adults in the Hausa class, which showed that the NICO message was reaching out to all strata of the society, and admonished the students to take full advantage of the programme and encourage their friends to register.
In the Igbo, Yoruba and Izon classes, Prince Olusa told the participants that language serves as a unifying factor and therefore, people should learn one or more Nigerian indigenous languages other than their mother tongue, noting that some of the students were of mixed or different ethnic backgrounds.
In her contribution, one of the students, Mrs. Eunice Akinfetude of Hausa class, while lauding the programme, enjoined the Institute to explore the possibility of providing elementary text books for continuity to enhance and sustain their knowledge.
It is noteworthy that in each of the classes, the Director, who was accompanied by the South-West Zonal Head, Mr. Ohi Ojo, was greeted in the different languages of study.
Dupe Oyelami
NICO SWZ