The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has described the Institute’s out-going Director of Orientation and Cultural Affairs, Chief Festus Ndukwe Ihenetu, alias, “Mr. Success,” as a jolly good fellow, just as other members of the Management poured encomiums, describing him as a nice man.
The ES, who was speaking at a Valedictory Management Meeting at the Boardroom of NICO headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, April 11, 2013, said because of Ihenetu’s interest, commitment and attitude to work, management and the entire staffers will miss him, and called on others to emulate his selfless service.
His words: “Ihenetu has been our elder in NICO. We are happy that he served and is retiring meritoriously. We all know what it means to join the civil service and retire meritoriously. Ihenetu was among the few NICO staffers I knew before I became the ES. He is a nice person. Coming to meet him in NICO and from the way he related with people, I became convinced that he is a very good fellow. He is open and ready to say his mind, whether you like it or not. It was really nice working with him. For the past three years that I have worked with him, I have appreciated him. Members of staff are emotional that he is leaving. But God, who saw him through all these years in service, will continue to see him through, wherever he is going. NICO exists because of the sacrifice of people like Ihenetu. We call on other members of staff to emulate him, in the area of having the interest of NICO at heart; by always looking at what to do for NICO and not what NICO will do for you. With such interest in NICO, we can take NICO to its zenith.”
Concluding, Ayakoroma wished Ihenetu well in his future endeavour and told him not to forget NICO, because the Institute would want to continue tapping from his immense wisdom and knowledge.
Also speaking, the Director NICO Training School, Prince Bamidele Olusa, thanked God for the life of Ihenetu, whom he described as a man of wisdom needed in every organization, and called on him to continue to render quality service to the society, because the society needs his kind of wisdom.
On his part, the Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Godson Ordu, said God had ordered Ihenetu’s steps because it is a thing of joy for the biblical statement that, “there is a time for everything under the earth,” to be fulfilled, as Ihenetu joined the civil service peacefully, and leaving peacefully to the glory of God, adding that Ihenetu was instrumental to the progress and success of NICO.
Also contributing, the Director, Research and Documentation, Mr. Louis Eriomala, congratulated the ES, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, saying it is to the glory of God that in his administration, good things are happening in the Institute, saying that Ihenetu had been an inspiration to him, since he has been working with him for the past 10 years.
For the SA to ES, Hon. Nelson Ebi Campbell, Ihenetu is a good man whom others should learn from because his retirement was eliciting so much goodwill, unity and togetherness among staffers, noting that Ihenet
u is a man who never minded whether you were his senior or junior, as he consulted people on issues because of his humility and loyalty to those in authority.
Deputy Director, Protocol, Mr. Alex Omijie, said Ihenetu had made tremendous contributions to NICO, because of his habit of being genuinely interested in the growth of where he worked, crediting him with the efforts at boosting the welfare and salary of workers, adding that he was regarded as a Living Human Treasure, not because he coordinated the Institute’s Living Human Treasure programme, but because he was a reservoir of knowledge and proverbs.
For the Assistant Director, Admin, Mrs. Jane Anigala, Ihenetu is a director that reasoned with his subordinates, and introduced many things that will serve as his legacy in NICO, like emphasis on SWOT analysis, input in NICO Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, NICO Praise Fellowship, among others things.
The Assistant Director, Legal, Barr. Musa Kakamba and the Assistant Director, Research, Mr. Mike Ekoko, described Ihenetu as a man with psychological gift, who can counsel people on their problems because he was interested in the development of individuals, and that aside playing the role of a boss in the office, Ihenetu acted as a father to anyone who worked with him, because he believed in welfare and also believed that friction does not help in solving problems; rather, dialogue and wisdom should be applied.
Responding, Ihenetu, who joined NICO in the year 2000 and had served in different capacities as Director of Administration and Finance, Director of Research and Documentation, and Director of Orientation and Cultural Affairs, thanked everybody and God, saying what helped him through the years was his attitude of surrendering everything to God.
He went down memory lane, narrating how he joined NICO from the banking sector, saying that it is humility that had always carried him on: “My habit anywhere I work is: what I will do for my office and not what my office will do for me. Humility is a keyword to achieving success and good name. It is also good to have the spirit of forgiveness, because when you forgive and also show it in your actions, it helps you in life. The truth I want all of you to know is that industrial harmony is the key to organizational success. The Chief executive is the driver of this harmony. I can tell you all that the ES, Dr. Ayakoroma, is a good driver and he is driving NICO to success.”
Nwagbo Pat Obi
Corporate Affairs