The Coordinator, Abuja Study Centre, Training School of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Mrs. Onuoha has intimated the new students of 2018/2019 batch about the mandatory requirements for the completion of the academic programmes saying, 75% attendance to classes is mandatory for students without which a student would not be allowed to write examination ….Your assignment must be done because it is 30% and your examination is 70%”.
Speaking at the 4th NICO Training School Orientation Programme, Abuja Study Centre held at the Institute’s headquarters, 23 Kigoma street Wuse Zone 7, Abuja-FCT on Tuesday, 20 February, 2018 Dr. Onuoha, who was represented by Mrs. Alice Ogbede welcomed the new students as she expressed satisfaction in the calibre of students drawn from the Ministry of Information and Culture and other sister agencies such as Centre for Black African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Gallery of Arts (NGA) among others.
Furthermore, Onuoha advised that students should abide by the rules and regulations of the apex cultural training school. The rules include such adhering strictly to the ‘Dress Nigerian Days’ of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays of the institute, avoiding any form of examination malpractice and respect for lecturers and training school staff irrespective of students’ position in their different offices.
The Head, Academics Training School, Mr. Patrick Obi in his address gave the basic academic requirements of the programme which he said has two semesters with ten courses each, to be completed in one academic year. Stressing that a credit pass in English language and Mathematics at West African Examination Council (WAEC) or Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is a prerequisite for the admission of students into the institute. Mr. Obi further highlighted that since the programme was about cultural administration students should bear in mind that whatever project topic they would be researching on should be culture based in consonance with the title of the post graduate diploma and Advance diploma courses.
Different Directors of the institute were on ground to welcome the new students as well as give their remarks. The Director, Administration and Human Resources, Alhaji Husseni in his remark, which centred on ethics and discipline, encouraged the students to be open to learning, to allow the programme to pass through them as they go through the programme by abiding by the rules and ethics of the programme and research work in general;. He discouraged plagiarism and improper acknowledgement of sources cited and documentation.
The Director, Orientation & Cultural Affairs (OCA), Mr. Alex Omijie, also lent his voice to congratulate the new-intakes. He explained that the training school has been very strategic because in the years to come this kind of training would be a prerequisite for anyone to work in the culture sector. Saying that in Nigeria culture is neglected, he said there is urgent need for cultural rebirth and emancipation since most countries that are developed derive their economic strength from culture.
The Acting Director, Research & Documentation, Mr. Mike Ekoko while admonishing the students to make maximum use of the Institute’s library, said the library will be of immense benefit to them because it is stocked with all NICO publications which are products of workshops, seminars and lecture proceedings organized by the Institute over the years.
He maintained that the use of the library will to a large extent, limit the students’ dependence on internet to get sources for their assignments and during their research, stressing that NICO publications are works that are properly researched into, expressing optimism that the students will get the best of the programme with the aid of the Institute’s library.
The Special Assistant to the Acting Executive Secretary (S.A to E.S) and Deputy Director, Mr. Law Ezeh, in his remark also enjoined the students to study so as to acquire knowledge from the training school that will make them become culture ambassadors, use culture to develop themselves and to make culture the centre-piece of Nigeria’s national development. He emphasized that if this purpose is not achieved at the end of the programme, the essence of their coming to the Institute would have been defeated.
At the end of the Orientation programme twenty-eight (28) students for Post graduate course in Cultural Administration (PGDCA) and four (4) students for Advance Diploma in Cultural Administration (ADCA) were administered with Matriculation oath by the Head, Legal Unit of the Institute, Barrister Ibrahim Kakamba.
Present at the 4th NICO Training School, Abuja Study Centre students orientation programme include, Deputy Director, Admin. & Human Resources, Mrs. Jane Anigala; Assistant Director, Research & Documentation, Mrs. Maria Okpuzor; Head, Finance and Account, Mr. Herbert Ogbe, among others.
Njideka Dimgba, Caleb Nor & Theodorah Okatta
Corporate Affairs Unit NICO, Abuja.