n furtherance of its efforts to execute the Institute’s mandate of harnessing Nigeria’s cultural resources for national development, Gombe State Office of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) from 11th-12th October, 2023 organized a two-days National Children’s Cultural Fiesta on the theme: “Culture, Creativity and the Nigerian Youth”.
In an opening remark, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Institute, Ado Muhammed Yahuza called on Nigerian youths to make good use of their time by engaging in ventures that are culturally related and beneficial that when harnessed and mastered, would turn into a money spinner. Yahuza emphasized that no country can make headway developmentally if it discards its culture to embrace alien ways of doing things, hence the constant sensitization and awareness for all Nigerians to imbibe the habit of patronizing locally manufactured products and services. 
Guest Speaker at the occasion, Dr. Sani Yakubu of Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe State while juxtaposing the nexus between culture, creativity and the youths asserted that culture has a significant role to play in facilitating creativity among Nigerian youths by providing them with the wealth of inspiration; nurturing their artistic expressions and fostering a sense of pride and identity. 
He emphasized the critical role of parents in modeling their children by way of guiding them in their choices of career according to their strengths and talents rather than imposing it on them.
In their separate remarks, Dr. Aliyu Abdulfatah, a former Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM); Alhaji Yaya Hammari (Wazirin Yeriman Gombe) and Mallam Abubakar Dawaki who represented the Honourable Commissioner, Gombe State Ministry of Information and Culture all commended NICO for initiating such a programme to safeguard the culture of the people of Gombe State which they said was first thing of its kind.
The Information and Culture Commissioner also expressed readiness to partner with NICO towards harnessing culture for our national development.
The event featured captivating and soul-lifting events which were competitive and non-competitive. The competitive events include Cultural Debate, Cultural Quiz, Traditional Hairdo and Traditional Cuisine while non-competitive events were: Cultural Poetic Rendition, Traditional Dress Parade and Traditional Music and Dance. 
In all, ten (10) schools where NICO Cultural Clubs have been inaugurated participated in the fiesta. The schools are: Government Junior Secondary School Gandu; Government Junior Secondary School, Hassan Central; Government Junior Secondary School, Mallam Inna, Government Junior Secondary School, Mu’azu Bolari-West; Government Junior Secondary School, Jauro; Government Junior Secondary School, Jekadafari; Government Junior Secondary School, Jalo Waziri; Government Junior Secondary School, Idi; Inuwa Yahaya Demonstration School and Junior Comprehensive Secondary School.
Other Dignitaries that graced the occasion were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Gombe State who was ably represented by Alhaji Isa Ali Doho; Hajiya Halima Mahdi, a retired Director with Gombe State Ministry of information and Culture who served as the Mother of the Day; the Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Gombe state Command among other Heads of various Federal Ministries and Parastatals in Gombe State.
Corporate Affairs UnitNICO Gombe Office.