The Director, Chinese Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Abuja, Mr. Yan Xiang Dong has said the Chinese Government will be glad to partner the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), especially on programmes that will give China a better understanding of Nigeria’s cultural policy and diplomacy.
Yan Xiang Dong disclosed this at the Meeting Room of the Chinese Embassy, Central Business District, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday, 22nd December, 2015 when the Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma led a team of staffers on a “Thank You” visit to the Embassy.
According to the Director, China desires to have a deeper understanding of Nigeria’s cultural policy as well as the direction of the country’s cultural diplomacy and NICO is the right organ of government that can provide China with such knowledge; hence, the need for deeper collaborations.
His words: “NICO is a place to study the Cultural Policy of Nigeria and also Nigeria’s Cultural Diplomacy and that is the area we are very interested in and want to concentrate on. So, whatever area you want us to come in, we will be glad to do so because it will enable us to have an overview of Nigeria’s Cultural Policy and also cultural diplomacy so that we can introduce to our Ministry of Culture in China for them to know how to communicate, exchange and cooperate with Nigerian counterparts.”
Earlier in his remark, the ES of NICO, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma had solicited support from the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nigeria and indeed the Chinese Government on what Nigeria can learn from the Chinese experience of using culture as a driver in the development of their country.
“Recently, we organized a Seminar in Cultural Diplomacy and it was an eye-opener; and next year, we want to see how we can take it to the next level. We are also thinking of a Quarterly Public Lecture Series and we want you to come and tell us how China is using culture to develop the country and what examples we can learn from China,” Ayakoroma said.
He stated further: “Because it is a quarterly event, we want to discuss with you on how the China Cultural Centre and the Embassy could be involved in that programme and use the opportunity to assist us mobilize the diplomatic community to be part of the public lectures because when we finish from China, we may look in the direction of another country to tell us how they are using culture to develop their economy.”
The ES used the opportunity to express appreciation to the Chinese Government for the opportunity it gave NICO to nominate nine (9) officers to attend series of seminars and workshops organized through the China Academy for Cultural Administration (CACA), which, he said, had done a lot in profiling the Institute, saying he had always been impressed with the approach of the Chinese Government.
In the delegation of the ES were: Mr. Alex Omijie (Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs), Mr. Law Ezeh (Special Assistant to the ES), Mr. Segun Adegbaju (Assistant Director, Cultural Affairs), Mr. Ibrahim Malgwi (Head of Protocol), Mr. Emeka Bokolo (PA to the ES), and Mr. Caleb Nor (Media Assistant to ES).
Caleb Nor
Corporate Affairs Unit
NICO, Abuja