Rotary Club of Enugu, District 9140 has, at the investiture of Imaria Glynis Obakpolor as president, honoured the Executive Secretary of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, for his untiring efforts at reviving the country’s ailing cultural values and norms, an event that held at the Universal Hotel, Enugu.
Rece
iving the award on behalf of the ES, Enugu State Head of NICO, Mr. Nwajagu Nnaemeka, thanked Rotary International, for finding Dr. Ayakoroma worthy of the Award, describing him as a man of cultured intellect and pleasant manners, who has pulled the country from the doldrums of cultural extinction.
Nnaemeka used the opportunity to call on parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to take pride in their mother tongue and appealed to curriculum development experts to integrate indigenous languages in the nation’s educational system, stressing that, flourishing economies in the 21st century, such as China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Ukraine, have their indigenous languages as media of instruction from kindergarten to tertiary level.
According him, Nigeria can no longer afford to take the back seat at a time when knowledge-based economies have become the building blocks of industrialization and economic prosperity, extolling President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for its “Bring Back the Book” initiative, which should bridge existing gaps and place Nigeria on the map of global reckoning.
Earlier, the Rotary District Governor, Dr. Onianwa Uche, noted that the choice of Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma for the Leadership Award category was in recognition of his impeccable leadership role, particularly in the culture sector.
Recipients of other categories awards were former military governor of Ebonyi and Delta States, Navy Captain Walter Feghabo (rtd), Mrs. Ego Obioha, Chief Sam Iredia, Chinenye Mba-Uzouku, Prof. Steve Azaiki and Comrade Chris Adokeme.
The high points of the occasion were the installation of Imaria Glynis Obakpolor as president Rotary Club of Enugu North, District 9140 and a scintillating Igbo musical rendition by 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Band.
With this new award, the ES, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has added yet another feather to his fluffy hat; and NICO staffers, Ebinum Amaka, Jimmy Bisong, Patience Nnamani, and Chris Ordu, were happy to identify with the occasion by accompanying the State Head.
Frank Otobo
NICO Enugu State Office