By AbdulRahman Obaje
The National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO, has commenced free training of Nigerian Indigenous Languages for National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members in the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking during the commencement of the training programme in FCT NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye said the move is to further promote the teaching and learning of Nigerian languages thereby safeguarding them from going into extinction.
Otunba Biodun Ajiboye who was represented by an Assistant Cultural Officer in NICO, Mrs Chinye Chibuogwu stated that the training which is also part of the Institute’s orientation programme explained that the training would last for the period of the corps members orientation programme in camp.
According to him, the essence is to assist the NYSC members to interact in the languages of their host and immediate communities.
The Executive Secretary who explained that a Google form would be created for feedback purposes at the end of the four weeks training expressed the hope that the management of NYSC would further approve the establishment of NICO Indigenous Language Clubs for continuity at Community Development Service, CDS.
“This three weeks free training of Nigerian Indigenous Language is only for Corps members in the FCT and each of them will be giving the opportunity to learn at least two Nigerian languages of their choice ” the Executive Secretary stressed.
In his words” what we also intend to achieve is to make very easy for corps members to interact with people at the grassroots during their service year because learning the language and interacting with people in their immediate environment will make them to be comfortable anywhere they are because we’re all Nigerians and it’s not good for us as Nigerians to just understand only one language of our birth”
While stating that the exercise would be a continuous one, the Executive Secretary of NICO advised the corps members to take the training very serious to enable them reap the benefits of understanding more than one Nigerian indigenous languages.