The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Assoc. Prof. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has stated that the Management of the Institute was satisfied with the decision of locating a NICO State Office in Enugu, as the initiative has started bearing dividends.

Prof. Ayakoroma, who said this while addressing staffers of NICO Enugu State Office during a working visit recently to see the new office accommodation located at 5th Floor, Old CCB Building, Okpara Avenue, Enugu, thanked God Almighty for facilitating the securing of the new office and movement into the complex possible and smooth, describing the new office accommodation as conducive, well located, where everyone can easily access it.

He also expressed his appreciation to the Director-General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Dr. Ferdinand Anikwe and the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Eddy Okolo, who both lobbied for the opening of NICO Enugu State Office, and facilitated the allocation of the new office accommodation to NICO by the Enugu State Government.

While urging the staffers to work towards getting improved results befitting of an office accommodation as wonderful as the new one, Ayakoroma also enjoined all to contribute their quota towards making the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) have greater impact.

He finally charged the Training School Unit of NICO Enugu State Office to do their best to attract external candidates for the Institute’s academic programmes, especially now that Management was finalizing work to ensure that the Diploma in Cultural Administration (DCA) certificate obtained from NICO Training School received the approval of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), just as the Post Graduate Diploma in Cultural Administration programme affiliation process with Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), had reached advanced stage.

On staff development, which is key to the optimal performance of staffers, the ES disclosed that the economic downturn in the country had made it impossible for the Institute to carry on with its scheduled staff training programmes, promising that the training programmes will take off again as soon as release of fund becomes regular.

Prof. Ayakoroma then appealed to all to bear the pains and challenges that come with relocation, describing such situations as temporary, and urged all to be diligent in their duties and put NICO first in everything they do since they get their daily bread from the Institute.

In his contribution, the Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Law Ikay Ezeh, encouraged all to always thank God for giving them work in NICO, noting that one of the best ways to do that was by being regular to work and doing the job which they were employed to do.

He also advised all to shun gossip and rumour mongering, as that had no place in any progressive venture, and challenged the Training School Unit to go the extra mile to attract external candidates to the Training School, since there cannot be any school without students.

While giving his vote of thanks, the Head, NICO Enugu State Office, Mr. Nnaemeka Nwajagu, thanked NICO Management for their support, motivation and encouragement towards securing and moving over to the new office accommodation, just as he thanked the staffers for their support towards moving into the new office officially on Wednesday, 14th September, 2016.

The ES was accompanied on the visit by the Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Alex Omijie and Deputy Director/Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Law Ikay Ezeh.

Ibe Michael Ogbuu

Corporate Affairs Unit

NICO Enugu State Office