The Imo State Ministry of Culture and Tourism will partner with the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), in order to harness culture for national development.
The Imo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Rt. Hon. Chuma Nnaji, stated this, while receiving in audience the Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, and his Management team, in his office at Old Secretariat, Orlu Road, Owerri.
Chief Nnaji appealed to the Institute to extend the cultural orientation to Nigerians in Diaspora, adding that Nigerians in other parts of the world hardly teach their children their native languages and culture.
He noted that if these cultural orientations are being extended to our kiths and kin in Diaspora through some of the Nigerian Embassies, it will help our languages and culture from going into extinction.
Chief Nnaji, who earlier, congratulated the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Institute on his well-deserved appointment, assured him of the co-operation of Imo State Government and pointed out that Governor Ikedi Ohakim is culture sensitive, and has been on course to promote culture and tourism in the State.
Chief Nnaji, who intimated the Executive Secretary of NICO on the recent creation of Cultural Affairs Department at Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), noted that such creation will make room for cultural integration and orientation among the Niger Delta States.
Earlier, in his speech, the Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, who thanked the State Government for providing an office accommodation for the South-East Zonal Office of the Institute, further appealed to the government to assist the zonal office by providing them with official vehicle in order to facilitate their job.
Dr. Ayakoroma equally called for the co-operation of the State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, to ensure that cultural workers in the Ministry and the Council for Arts and Culture are allowed to attend NICO Training School, Lagos, which he said is being positioned to train cultural officers globally.
He recalled that May 21st of every year is being celebrated as World Culture Day, and is used to sensitize our people through seminars on the need to harness our culture, adding that the Institute is packaging a workshop in March, 2010, on promoting Nigerian dress culture among youths.
Dr. Ayakoroma equally disclosed that NICO has programmes such as language quiz, which will feature on different television networks aimed at creating more awareness about Nigeria people, her culture and also encourage inter-tribal ties.
The Chief Executive of the Institute also stated that NICO will from time to time organize programmes, like the Living Human Treasures project, that is aimed at celebrating our people while alive.
Blessing I. Chukwudi
Public Relations Officer
Imo State Ministry of Culture & Tourism
4/2/010
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