The determination of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) to promote culture can make Nigeria one of the greatest countries in the world
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Edo State, Prof Sam Guobadia who stated this in a paper he delivered at the Technical Session of the Annual Roundtable on Cultural Orientation (ARTCO), organized by NICO applauded the Institute’s efforts in using culture and cultural orientation to penetrate the grassroots of Nigerian society
In his paper titled “Culture and Economy: The Dynamics of Globalization”, he urged NICO not relent in its efforts in the globalization context, saying that globalisation has come to stay and there is nothing anybody or any society can do to stop it; rather, it is better to embrace it.
He defined globalisation as a process which affects and includes the whole world; cultural orientation, as an inclination to think, feel or act in a way that is culturally determined, then culture, as dynamic and constantly changing, he said the three dimensions of cultural orientation are sense of self, thinking style and interaction style.
According to him: “I commend and congratulate NICO for the Roundtable on Cultural Orientation. This aspect of globalisation is interesting. There is no better time than now for this kind of Roundtable on Cultural Orientation, because cultural orientation is an inclination to think, feel or act in a way that is culturally determined. This means that with the Institute’s determination to promote globalisation culture, NICO can make Nigeria to become one of the greatest countries in the world. NICO’s attention to the society and culture is commended. NICO should continue to tell people to embrace globalisation because it has come to stay and Nigeria can excel through globalisation”
The DVC further said globalisation should be embraced because its benefits are enormous, despite its challenges. In view of this, he explained that the question to ask is, ‘how do we benefit from globalization as a country?’ In answering the question, he stressed that, “it was by adapting to globalisation that we preserve Nigerian cultural heritage, because every nation strives to preserve its cultural heritage. There should be the challenge of balancing the preservation of our cultural heritage on the one hand and reaping the benefits of globalization, on the other hand. This balancing act can be achieved if we decide to dedicate ourselves to understanding and embracing and building capability to manage its negative effects”
However, Professor Ben Omojimite, Department of Economics, Delta State University, Abraka who was a discussant for the paper, added that because globalisation is to see what happens in a faraway cultures from wherever you are. He said said Prof Guobadia was eloquent in his presentation, adding that many see globalisation as bad, while others see it as good. He posited that its negative implication is cultural competition, and the positive implication of embracing globalisation is that it brings understanding between countries globally, and it enhances peaceful coexistence between cultures.
Nwagbo Pat Obi
NICO Training School, Abuja Study Centre