The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has called on new students of the NICO Training School, Abuja Study Centre, to endeavour to dependable culture ambassadors in their immediate society and give culture the right place in national development.

Ayakoroma made the call at the Orientation and Induction of new students of the Advanced Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Administration programmes of NICO Training School, Abuja Study Centre, for the 2016/2017 Academic Session, which took place, Friday, 10th February, 2017, at the Institute’s Headquarters, No. 23 Kigoma Street, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The ES further advised the students to put concerted efforts into the Training School programme as true ambassadors of the Institute to disseminate cultural matters in their offices and places of abode, stressing that the Training School programmes are veritable capacity building platforms for officers in the culture sector, who stand the chance of being adequately repositioned on completion of the given courses.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Coordinator of NTS Abuja Study Centre, Dr. (Mrs.) Regina Onuoha, admonished the new students to make discipline and commitment their watch-words, advising them to take their class attendance and studies seriously, as absenteeism was not allowed; and emphasizing that students should always take permission should there be any reason to be away.

Represented by Ms Alice Ogbeidu, the Coordinator also intimated the students of some of the key activities of the Training School, such as Field Trip, Field School, Seminar, and Project Defence, telling them to relax and make the best out of the programme.

The ethics of the School were detailed out to the students by the Acting Director, Admin & Human Resources, Alhaji Ibrahim Husseini, who advised them to be disciplined, be punctual, dress decently in line with the Institute’s ‘Dress Nigeria’ policy, which stipulates wearing traditional attires on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and be of good character in order to be outstanding at the end of the one year academic programme.

Also speaking, the Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Alex Omijie, enunciated that NICO is the apex Training Institute in the culture sector, as it has a very unique and specialized mandate of training staff in cultural administration, informing that the Institute was established by Federal Government in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to promote culture as a central pillar in national development.

He pointed out the need for government to inject more funds into the culture sector to enhance the potentials inherent in it, as this will be an alternative solution to the present economic recession, adding that the students stand a chance to gain a lot from the training since the curriculum is standardized and has been subjected to Curriculum Review by a team of experts.

Deputy Director and Head of Legal Unit, Barr. Musa I. Kakamba, while administering the Oath of Allegiance on the students, made them promise to be of good behaviour and called on God to bear them witness.

Responding on behalf of the students, Mrs. Mercy Gabriel-Odu of the National Gallery of Art (NGA) thanked the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma and other Management Staff of the Institute, for giving them the opportunity to be at the Training School and promised to be good NICO ambassadors.

This is the 3rd set of students admitted to do the Post Graduate Diploma in Cultural Administration (PGDCA) programme at the Abuja Study Centre of the NICO Training School, while the Advanced Diploma in Cultural Administration (ADCA) programme is just admitting the 2nd set of students.

Sandra O. Kingsley-Omogiade & Theodorah C. Okatta
NICO Training School
Abuja Study Centre