A six member panel set up to scrutinize the academic research projects of postgraduate students of NICO Training School commenced sitting on Monday, 7th December, 2015 inside Lecture Hall 1 of the Institute’s complex, National Theatre Annex, Iganmu-Lagos for a defence exercise billed for two days.
The project defence panel, which is led by Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, NICO’s Executive Secretary and Visiting Associate Professor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), started around 10am with the postgraduate diploma in cultural administration (PGDCA) students defending their projects in a very rigorous session.
According to the Director, Training School, Mrs. Brigitte R. Yerima, it is notable that the PGDCA Project Defence in 2015, the 6th in the series of project defences done by the School, is being supervised personally by the Executive Secretary of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), adding that the ante of project defence in the School has been raised to the next level.
In his opening remark, the Executive Secretary emphasized that with the on-going process of accreditation of the Institute with NSUK in view, NICO had to do what is needful by maintaining originality and ensuring a standard of excellence for the various academic research works done by the Institute.
Ayakoroma reiterated the need to closely monitor the project defence personally in his capacity as a Visiting Associate Professor at the Department of Theatre & Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) and expressed optimism that very senior academic representatives of NSUK will superintend over the project defence of NICO Training School from next year.
The main task of the panel, Professor Ayakoroma continued, was to verify the authenticity of the project works and ensure that they were in conformity with the highest academic standards expected of postgraduate students of the apex and leading cultural institute in Nigeria.
The presenters included Peter DARAMOLA – “The Impacts of Globalisation and Western Civilisation on Yoruba Culture;” Uzefa Solomon AGORO – “The Influence of Western Culture on the Socio-Economic Development of the Ijaws: A Case Study of Epie-Atissa People of Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State;” Linda Frank AYAKOROMA – “The Socio-Cultural Significance of Kumbowei Masks and Masquerades;” Frank Ariwera OTOBO – “The Role of Traditional Rulers in the Dispensation of Justice: A Case Study of Ogbia Kingdom in Bayelsa State;” and Friday Chris ALOBU – “The Contribution of Local Rice Production to Nigeria’s National Development: A Case Study of Abakaliki Rice.”
The other presenters were: Kindness Chinwendu OKECHUKWU – “The Elements of Culture in Nigerian Drama: A Comparative Study of Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and J.P. Clark’s Song of a Goat;” Emovwerha OFUAFO – “The Production and Promotion of Oil Palm for National Development: A Focus on the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria;” John Kerede AGONONAMA – “The Intrusion of Westernization on Nigerian Dress Culture: A Case Study of the Ijaws of Bayelsa State;” and Muhammad Bashir GIDADO – “Power Play in the Administration of Ilorin Emirate: Historical Analysis of the Reign of Abdulsalam Dan Zubair, Oba Mama, the 5th Emir of Ilorin (1891-1895).”
Members of the panel were: Professor Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma; Director and Head, NICO Lagos Liaison Office, Mr. Louis Eriomala; Director, NICO Training School, Lagos, Mrs. Brigitte Yerima; Deputy Director, NICO North-Central Zone, Ilorin, Mr. Ohi Ojo; SA to the ES, Mr. Law Ezeh, who lectures in the Training School; and Coordinator, Abuja Study Centre, Dr. (Mrs) Regina Onuoha,.
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NICO Training School