The 7th edition of the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) organized by the North-East Zonal Office of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), ended on Wednesday, the 31St of August, 2016, at the Institute’s zonal office, located at Mahmud Ribadu Square, Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa state.

The four-week intensive programme witnessed a remarkable turnout of participants from both the public and private sectors, which had in attendance officers from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Adamawa State Command, staffers from Adamawa State Deputy Governor’s Office, and Bwatiye Development Association Yola, just as a few NICO Cultural Club members were also in participation.

The Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Oladosu Adeniji, at the closing ceremony commended the efforts of the resource persons for their dedication and commitment on equipping participants with the requisite basic knowledge on our indigenous languages.

While congratulating the participants, he appreciated their active participation and informed them that NICO now have its Training School programmes in both Lagos and Abuja, where interested Nigerians can obtain the Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma in Cultural Administration, which commence in January of every year.

The Zonal Coordinator enjoined everyone not to allow the prediction made by UNESCO on the extinction of some indigenous languages to be a reality, adding that language barriers can be reduced considerably and that we can built on our cultural identities, which promote inter-ethnic interaction, be it in commerce, education, marriage, policies, and so on.

In his remark, the lgbo resource person, Afam Ifeanyi Nwaomu, appreciated the Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Oladosu Adeniji and staffers of the zone for uniting to ensure that the programme was a success and also tasked the participants to always practicalise what they have learnt in class while in their respective communities.

While expressing gratitude, Eve Bernard, a staff of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Adamawa State Command, was full of praises and joy to the Institute for being able to communicate in Fulfulde, disclosing that the impact of the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) will assist her to interact with other people easily in the society.

On his part, the resource person for Hausa, Awalu Bala Umar, advised the participants to use what they have learnt during the training programme to appreciate their cultural diversity, promising that in 2017 the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) will be more interesting one, hence, the need to inform others.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, the Coordinator, NICO Cultural Club in Government Girls Secondary School, Yola, Miss Dumandina Titus, applauded NICO for giving them the opportunity to learn and speak a language of their choice, adding that it will help them integrate with other Nigerians.

In his vote of thanks, Hamman Abdul-Rahman of Orientation and Cultural Affairs, thanked the Institute’s staffers, resource persons, students and the general public, for ensuring that the programme was successful, urging the participants to serve as cultural ambassadors in their various communities and always visit the NICO website for updates on the Institute’s programmes and activities as well as current developments in Nigeria’s culture sector.

The event featured scintillating demonstration of the languages learnt during the programme by participants, adding glamour to the event; and four (4) best students who performed excellently in each of the five (5) languages were given awards in appreciation for their commitment to the course.

It will be recalled that the 7th edition of the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) in the North-East zone, which started on Monday, 1st August, 2016, featured four indigenous languages: Fulfulde, Hausa, Yoruba and lgbo; and the languages were taught by the Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Oladosu Adeniji (Yoruba), Safiyanu Abdulrahman of Research and Documentation Unit (Fulfulde), Awalu Bala of Account Department (Hausa), and Afam Ifeanyi Nwaomu of Research and Documentation (Igbo).

Furthermore, the programme attracted seventeen (17) participants in the North-East zone: eleven (11) were external participants and six (6) NICO North-East staffers; thought two (2) failed to continue with the lectures, leaving fifteen (15) to participate in the class assessment test to ascertain the level of their assimilation and they were presented with their certificates of participation during the closing ceremony.

Hamman Abdul-Rahman

Orientation and Cultural Affairs Unit

NICO North-East, Yola