Our Premium Is On NICO Training School, Says NICO’s Executive Secretary

As an Institute with a unique responsibility to build capacity of stakeholders in the culture sector in Nigeria, the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) places premium on its Training School, says Prof. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, the Executive Secretary of the Institute.

Interacting with NICO academic staff during the Exams Board Meeting recently in Lagos, Ayakoroma pointed out the primacy of the Institute’s lecturers in the task of creating cultural awareness in Nigeria, also noting that, he envisions a NICO Training School powered by a strong Academic Unit, comprising very competent resource personnel capable of not only representing the Institute but also facilitating at academic fora outside the School.

He therefore urged the lecturers of the Training School to latch on as conference speakers in the forthcoming annual conference of the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA), which will be hosted by the Institute later in the year, saying it is one of the many avenues available to them to showcase their meaningful contributions to cultural development.

In the same vein, he mentioned that the Institute will soon come up with assessment criteria for academic staff, a process whereby lecturers of NICO Training School will be assessed for promotion based on their publications, seminar/workshop presentations, and other academic contributions, instead of promotion examinations.

Some academic journals, which are ready platforms for cultural publications include, Nigerian Theatre Journal: A Journal of the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA); AGMADA: The Research Journal of National Council for Arts & Culture; Nigerian Heritage: Journal of the National Commission for Museums and Monument; JBAAC: Journal of Black and African Arts and Civilization; and the soon to debut CultureScope: An Academic Journal of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO).

Principal Officers present at the Exams Board meeting include Mrs. Brigitte Yerima (Director, NICO Training School); Mr. Louis Eriomala (Director, NICO Liaison Office, Lagos); Dr. Dipo Kalejaiye (Head of Academics Unit); Mr. Law Ezeh (Students Affairs Officer); and other lecturers of the School.

Corporate Affairs Unit                                            
NICO Training School