The 9th edition of the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Lagos Office, came to a close on Friday, 28th August, 2015, with commendations from participants.
The closing ceremony of the one-month intensive programme, which focused on Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba Languages this year, held at St. Agnes Primary School, Maryland, Lagos and was declared closed by the Director, NICO Lagos Office, Mr. Louis Eriomala, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma.
The event had in attendance thirty eight (38) participants, cutting across different age groups, and they all expressed their joy to have participated, applauding the packaging and organisation of the programme.
Representatives from the various classes gave account of their experiences and made recommendations for subsequent editions, first among them being Miss Ojiabor Chinonye, a participant in the Hausa class and a secondary school student from the northern part of Nigeria, who commended the Institute for the privilege and opportunity given to her to learn Hausa language.
She said her understanding has improved and will help her pass Hausa language when she returns to school, disclosing that she had always failed Hausa in school, and gave kudos to her teacher, who taught the course passionately for her to understand the language better, just as she applauded her fellow classmates for being warm and caring despite the age difference.
Mr. Benjamin Okocha, though an Igbo indigene, could not communicate well in his mother tongue before, but now speaks Igbo fluently; while Mrs. Hajara Usman, a Nupe with strong passion for Igbo language, was highly elated for being part of the programme, saying it will help her communicate better with her Igbo neighbours, expressing her gratitude and pleading with the Institute to extend the programme duration to more than four weeks if possible.
Mr. Anjorin Rasaki, a participant in the Hausa class, was very happy to be part of the programme because it has helped him appreciate the diversity in our various cultures, also suggesting that the duration of the programme be extended.
Mr. M.T.N. Shokunbi, a Hausa student for the second year, commended the Institute for packaging a beautiful programme such as the NILP; and to show how much he has learnt the language, he performed the job of an interpreter for the Hausa teacher, who gave his 
remarks in Hausa language.
However, the participants also urged the Institute to improve on its publicity towards the programme, especially through billboards in strategic areas and other media that will make the programme known to the public; this was just as the resource persons commended the students for their active participation and cooperation despite the short duration of the programme.
The climax of the programme was the presentation by the various classes: the Hausa class acted a market scenario, where a dialogue of buying and selling of yams took place; while the Yoruba and Igbo classes did recitation of numerals, days of the week, and months of the year.
On behalf of the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, the Director, NICO Lagos Office, Mr. Louis Eriomala, commended participants for their active participation as well as the resource persons for their zeal in teaching the selected languages.
He expressed gratitude to parents who allowed their children to come for the programme, saying that only few children attended in the time past as most parents preferred their children to attend holiday coaching classes in their various schools, which had been a major constraint to attendance in previous editions, and advised all the participants to always interact with their teachers and always speak the language learnt, as it will go a long way in helping them in the mastery of the languages learned.
Prizes were also presented to the best students in the various classes, just as certificates of attendance to all the students by the Director, NICO Lagos office.
Offor Nkemdilim
Corporate Affairs Unit
NICO Lagos Office