Ex-NICO scribe calls for establishment of National Culture Foundation
NAN-H-65
Culture
By Taiye Baiyerohi
Lagos, March 2, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Victoria Agodo, the pioneer Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), on Friday called for the establishment of a national culture foundation to source sponsorship for cultural initiatives.
Agodo made the call at the 2018 children cultural extravaganza organised by the institute with the theme: “Culture: A Strategic Tool for Peace, Unity and National Integration’’.
She said that there was great need for government to realign its cultural promotion programmes and focus on funding cultural initiatives, talents and research.
The pioneer NICO scribe said that Nigerian government should also focus mainly on propagating culture from the cradle, especially among young children.
According to her, this can be done by integrating culture into the educational system from nursery, primary to secondary school levels.
“There are beautiful cultural initiatives which can only be driven by available funds; that is why we need a national culture foundation which can always see to developing these cultural initiatives, talents and research.
“At the same time, the school curriculum should be made to reflect this thrust of cultural promotion because when children are made to be conversant with their culture early in life, they will uphold it throughout their life.
“Policies to revive traditional industries, textiles, cosmetics, crafts, arts should be formulated to boost cultural economies.
“Support should be given to producers and actors who intend to produce films, videos, plays and drama series on best practises of our various cultures, musicians, dancers, writers and other artists through this cultural foundation,’’ she said.
Agodo said that culture could only be a tool for peace, unity and national integration if parents, government and school teachers duly performed their duties.
She said that teachers should endeavour to always correct every habit of improper dress sense, hairstyles as well as usage of wrong words.
According to her, teachers should also embrace all children in the school and see them as one irrespective of the state, tribe, religion and social status of their parents.
She said parents must encourage their children to eat cuisine from different parts of the country and to appreciate people and their individual peculiarities.
“Parents should train children to speak the mother tongue and learn some other languages and allow them to mix with children from other tribes.
“Artworks, paintings, crafts which portray our heroes, culture and traditional industries should be displayed at strategic places within the school premises to allow children know more of our culture.
“With all these simple instructions from parents and teachers to children early in life, then we can achieve peace, unity and national integration through the practice of our culture,’’ she said.
Mr Louis Eriomala, NICO Acting Executive Secretary, said the programme was aimed at making children shun all forms of bad behaviour and embrace African culture which dictated peace, unity and progress.
Represented by Mrs Bridget Yerima, Director, NICO Training School, Eriomala urged schools present to join the institute’s cultural clubs to learn the importance of embracing the nation’s culture.
“I am seizing this opportunity to tell you to join the NICO cultural club, I know most of the schools here have joined already, you stand to benefit from our trainings on culture and other things,’’ he said.
NAN reports that 10 schools were represented at the event.
Highlights of the programme were the cultural dances from different ethnic groups, fashion parade in traditional attires and the recitation of the national anthem in various languages. (NAN)
PTB/COFCOF/WOJ
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Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Wale Ojetimi