A call has gone to government, corporate bodies, multi-nationals, NGOs and well-meaning Nigerians to patronage the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) organised by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), in order to ensure its continuity and sustenance.
Special Adviser to Cross River State Governor on Culture and Heritage, Elder (Mrs.) Edisua Usang Iso, made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2010 edition of the Institute’s Long Vacation Language Training Programme at the NICO South-South zone, holding at the NUJ Press Centre, Yenagoa, capital city of Bayelsa State.
While urging the South-South Co-ordinator of NICO, Mr. Mike Ekoko, to keep up the good work, the Special Adviser, in her capacity as Chairman of the occasion, pledged her State Government’s support for all NICO Programmes and activities, once put on the notice.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Education, Chief Josephine Ezonbuodor, who was the Special Guest of Honour, described the programme as a welcome idea whose emergence is timely, in view of the extinction threat most Nigerian indigenous languages now face. “It is heart-warming and noble that the Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma-led NICO has come to stand in the gap to revive the most distinguishing aspect of our cultural identity. This is encouraging and laudable,” she noted.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, who spoke through the Director of Administration & Human Resources, NICO Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Abayomi Oyelola mni, pointed out that the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme is conceived to encourage the learning of at least one Nigerian Language other than a participant’s native language in a setting where there is motivation, determination and team-spirit.
It is also an avenue for building participants’ confidence in appreciating one’s own mother tongue with those they will learn for the purposes of social interaction and integration, the NICO Executive Secretary averred. He urged participants to take advantage of this rare opportunity.
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers’ Council, HRM King Joshua I. Igbagara (Oyiakiri III), Mr. Panebi Jones, representative of a Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Culture, and Comrade Famous Eseduwo, Director-General, State Arts & Culture Bureau, were among dignitaries drawn from government, private and public sectors of the state that graced the opening ceremony.
Five Nigerian Languages: Izon, Efik, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, are billed for the one-month long training programme in the South-South Zone, Yenagoa, which is the 2nd in the series.
Gillowei James (Snr).
Media Asst. to ES
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