Members of Staff of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), South-West Zonal Office, have been admonished to take the full advantages provided by the annual Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP).
The Zonal Coordinator, NICO South-West Zonal Office, Mr. Ohi Ojo, who represented the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, stated this on Monday, 10th August, 2015, while formally declaring open the 2015 edition of the programme at the Zonal Office in Akure.
According to Ojo, proficiency in indigenous languages carries with it a lot of advantages, drawing the attention of staffers to the recent criteria of the Metropolitan Police in the UK, which has listed Yoruba as one of the languages of prospective applicants.
He went down memory lane on when the NILP started in the Lagos office of the Institute in 2007, which has experienced many phases, challenges and successes over the years.
This year’s programme has Hausa, Igbo, Izon and Yoruba as the languages of study and they are all facilitated by members of staff, namely, Mr. Mohammed Babangida for Hausa, Mr. Chuks Eustace Nwokorie for Igbo, Mr. Kenneth Ayunku for Izon, and Mr. Peter Fayomi for Yoruba.
The ceremony was spiced with rendition of the National Anthem in Yoruba by all members of staff, Yoruba poetry (Ewi) rendition by Mr. Babatunde Adewumi of Stores Unit, and performance by the NICO SWZ Cultural Troupe.
The vote of thanks was given by the Chief Confidential Secretary, Mrs. Adesuwa Eze, who is also the coordinator of this year’s programme.
Ogaga Anakpoha
Corporate Affairs
NICO, SWZ