With the rising number of participants in the on-going Weekend Indigenous Language Programme (WILP), the Zonal Coordinator of NICO South-West Zonal office, Mr. James Imohiosen, recently led a team of NICO staffers to visit the Management of St. Matthias’ Anglican High School, Akure, Ondo State, to request for the usage of their classrooms and other facilities for the programme.

Briefing the Principal, Mr. Imohiosen highlighted some NICO programmes and the need for the school to participate in the on-going weekend language programme, as it gives students the opportunity of learning one or a second Nigerian language, other than their own mother tongue, saying it will give such a student added advantage over others in language communication.

According to him, most parents find it difficult to communicate with their children in their indigenous language, especially when they are outside their own state, giving an example of one Igbo man who had lived his entire life outside his state and had adopted his host language as lingua franca, thereby making it difficult for his children to speak the Igbo language.

He therefore advised parents and students to avail themselves of the opportunity the Federal Government had offered through the Institute, adding that the choice of St. Matthias’ was basically for its accessibility from various parts of the state capital and to accommodate the growing number of participants.

Responding, the Principal of the School, Rev. Canon Olabimpe Fatunde, welcomed the NICO’team, appreciated the Institute for the preference of the school for the language programme, and gracefully offered the Institute the usage of four classrooms and other facilities for the programme.

He expressed some reservations or bottlenecks that the boarding students encounter, such as, leaving the school premises during weekends, as the school is a Missionary School with high level of discipline, and was however elated by the development as it will enable the students to also participate fully in the programme without any challenge.

Mr. Imohiosen, who was accompanied to the school by Mr. Chris Sodje (Head, Research and Documentation) and Mr. Alana Kayode (Orientation and Cultural Affairs), expressed his gratitude to the Management and Staff of the school for the kind gesture, as it will surmount the challenge of adequate space being faced by NICO SWZ, and that the languages can now be taught simultaneously with the four classes provided.

On ground to receive the NICO team were the Principal, Rev. Canon Olabimpe Fatunde and the Vice Principal, Rev. Canon Aiku Jacob Akinfade.

However, the weekend recorded an impressive turn out with a total of 168 and 77 participants on Saturday 22 October and Sunday, 23 October, respectively.

Ogaga Anakpoha

Corporate Affairs

NICO SWZ