The Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, was the guest at the Living Room of the popular Radio Nigeria Live phone-in programme, “Bush House Nigeria;” recently in furtherance of the Institute’s public enlightenment campaign.
Dr. Ayakoroma used the programme to shed light on some critical issues in cultural orientation in Nigeria, his appointment as Executive Secretary, programmes of the Institute, as well as his achievements and challenges.
He informed his audience that he was appointed by late President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, based on the recommendation of the former Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Senator Bello Jibrin Gada. According to him, his appointment was on merit as he had given a good account of himself as the Executive Director of Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture for nine years under three different Executive Governors.
On the establishment of NICO, the fourth Executive Secretary of NICO said the Institute came on stream as a result of the partnership between UNESCO and the Federal Government of Nigeria aimed at making culture central to our development agenda.
Dr. Ayakoroma, who has spent barely ten months as Chief Executive Officer of NICO, rolled out a long list of achievements. These include the restructuring of the Institute’s departmental structure from three to five; a staff training programme designed to give staff a sense of belonging and repositioning them for effective service delivery. Over 120 staff have so far benefited from the quarterly training programme.
Another achievement of the young administration, according to the Executive Secretary, is the launch of the Campaign for Decent Dressing which has received the approval of the National Council on Tourism, Culture and National Orientation and is currently awaiting ministerial follow-up action for Federal Executive Council endorsement for at least a day in the week for civil servants to “Dress Nigeria”
Dr. Ayakoroma received a lot of commendations from callers and text messages via email and facebook from within and outside Nigeria for his visionary and proactive leadership at NICO. They included the Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Akwa Ibom State, Barr. Austin Mbe and participants from Michigan (USA) and Turkey.
Dr. Ayakoroma, who responded satisfactorily to the issues raised on time consciousness, the language question, the challenge posed by religion and politics, and plans to take NICO programmes to the grassroots, strongly solicited for a robust partnership between NICO and multi-national companies and philanthropists in order to achieve the desired cultural rebirth since government alone cannot adequately fund the promotion of arts and culture.
It is hoped that the Institute will continue to take advantage of such public enlightenment programmes as credible channels of feedback from the public.
For photos of the programme, pls visit: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=70708&id=1594691166&l=518830e503
By
Alex Omijie
Asst. Director (Protocol)
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