The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has stressed the significance of indigenous languages in Nigeria’s development, citing them as essential tools for national identity.
Executive Secretary/CEO Otunba Biodun Ajiboye made this assertion at the closing ceremony of NICO’s August edition of the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) in Abuja.
Ajiboye emphasized that language is a vital vehicle for transmitting culture and should be taken seriously, particularly by parents ensuring their children learn and speak their indigenous languages.
The NILP provides a platform for learning Nigerian basic languages, focusing on major languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.
Ajiboye noted that language is crucial for national identity, interaction, business transactions, and daily communication. The institute aims to protect and propagate culture, with language being a key element, stressing that failure to teach children their native language is a failure to provide identity.
Participants praised NICO for the opportunity to learn languages other than their mother tongue.
Mr. Martins Mbaji suggested increased publicity to attract more participants, while Mrs. Runke Oluwatimileyin expressed interest in enrolling at NICO’s Academy for Cultural Studies to further learn Nigerian languages and culture.
NICO plans to expand the program next year, making it more comprehensive and beneficial.
