NICO Trains Over One Thousand Nigerians On Indigenous Languages

The National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO, has trained over one thousand Nigerians on its August edition of free Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme, NILP.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of the programme in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye said the programme was carried out in Abuja, Lagos and all the six geopolitical zonal offices of NICO.

Otunba Ajiboye stated that the programme introduced in reaction to the unhealthy situation of languages globally.

“Our Indigenous languages is therefore designed to create awareness on the need to speak our Indigenous languages and promote Nigeria ‘s cultural diplomacy objectives” He stated

According to him, several languages are facing extinction at an alarming rate globally and there is also the fear that by the next century, more than half of the world’s estimated 6,900 languages will go into extinction and the Nigeria situation is not different.

“Already, experts are of the opinion that with the rising rate at which Nigerian languages are steadily endangered, most indigenous languages will be extinct in the next three decades while about 90 percent of languages are estimated to be replaced by dominant languages by the turn of the century ” the Executive Secretary stressed

Otunba Ajiboye pointed out that language play pivotal role in the promotion, preservation and propagation of culture and is also the vehicle for the transmission of Nigeria’s tangible cultural heritage.

In his words “if people don’t speak their indigenous languages, they’re empty as being naked because there’s no man that can have a proper identity be it cultural, be it national without being able to speak his indigenous language hence why James Brown said”I’m black and proud ” and whosoever is not proud of his colour does not fit to live”.

He therefore advised stakeholders most especially parents to shun misapplication of cultural value and develop keen interest in speaking their mother tongue to their children towards promoting Nigerian languages in the country.

” Your mother tongue sets you apart and gives you a sense of pride, identity, equality and a sense of justice hence the need for everyone to embrace it” He added.

Earlier, the Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs in NICO, Mr Segun Adegbaju said the August edition targeted students on holiday, staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs as well as other Nigerians who are willing to learn other indigenous languages different from their mother tongue.

Mr Adegbaju who said the same training is also been organized for corps members during their orientation camp among others reiterated the commitment of NICO towards promoting Nigerian languages for national development.

Some of the beneficiaries of the training commended NICO for the programme.

The beneficiaries who explained that the training would further enhance their communication in indigenous languages called for more funding of NICO’s programmes towards safeguarding Nigerian languages from going into extinction and to further promote the nation’s culture.

Highpoint of the event was presentation of certificates to the participants.