NICO Commences 7th Edition Of Its Free Indigenous Language Programme For NYSC Members

Over forty thousand National Youth Service Corps, NYSC members have so far benefitted from the free indigenous language training programme of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO.

Speaking during the seventh edition of the programme at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye said the free indigenous language training has over the years yielded positive results among the corps members.

Otunba Biodun Ajiboye who was represented by a Principal Cultural Officer in NICO, Mrs Juliet Banku – Atu stated that the training was to among other things promote unity and cultural cohesion as well as guide against the extinction of Nigerian languages.

Otunba Biodun Ajiboye who explained that the training was been organized for corps members across the country reiterated the commitment of NICO towards harnessing the benefits of indigenous language for peaceful coexistence and national development.

* The Institute also has the mandate to train cultural officers, motivators as well as communicators who would be grounded in Nigerian cultural realities and the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) as a flagship programme of the Institute was conceptualized due to the lack of interest and gradual decline of our indigenous languages especially among our teeming youths” He explained
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According to him, NICO has over the years successfully organized three editions of the Language Programme; August, Weekend and the Barracks editions. These editions are held simultaneously across fifteen locations nationwide; Abuja, Lagos, six Zonal and seven State Offices. This initiative by the Institute does not only celebrate our nation’s cultural diversity but also serves as a platform to foster unity amongst us. We launched the pilot edition of NILP in NYSC on the February 29, 2024, the immense success we have achieved thus far has propelled our being here today.

“Gallant corps members, it is our desire that this sensitization will help stir your interest in learning our indigenous languages. I am elated to inform you that the Institute has carefully lined up professionally qualified resource persons to teach Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages online via the Whatsapp and Microsoft (MS) Word platforms and the purpose of the forms you are filling is to get your Whatsapp numbers in order to add you to our language groups for Online classes”.

“It is our expectation that at the end of this programme, participants will be well equipped with basic communication knowledge in the languages they have chosen to learn.
A Google form will be created for feedback purposes at the end of the 4-week training programme.and we are hopeful that the NYSC Management will further approve the establishment of NICO Indigenous Language Clubs for continuity at Community Development Service (CDS) levels which shall serve as a platform to broaden Corps Members knowledge of the languages already being taught and it is heart warming to reiterate that the previous editions of this collaborative effort with the NYSC have recorded tremendous success” Otunba Biodun Ajiboye added

In a message, the FCT NYSC Coordinator, Mr Samson Ateli commended the collaboration between the Scheme and NICO on the free training of corps members on Nigerian indigenous languages.

Mr Atile said the training would no doubt go a long way in promoting unity and cultural cohesion among the youths.

Some corps members who also spoke on the language training lauded NICO for the initiative noting that it would aid their understanding of language of their host communities