Dan Opara
The National Institute For Cultural Orientation,NICO,(a Parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture)in Owerri,on the 19th Day of Dec.2019,presented her Annual Roundtable on Cultural Orientation,ARTCO,with the theme: “Youths, Social Media and Cultural Development in Nigeria”.
At the event,the Imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha,served as the Special Guest of Honour,while the Senate Committee on Culture/Tourism, Sen.Rochas Okorocha,was the Chairman of the occasion, and the Chief Host was the Minister of Information/Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Also, the Host,Acting Executive Secretary/CEO of NICO,Mr.Louis Eriomala,graced the occasion.
The epoch making event which attracted so many people especially the youths from across all walks of lives took place at Rockview Hotel Owerri,with the Royal Father of the day,HRH Eze Edmund Njoku Adah 1,of Egbeada Autonomous Community, in Owerri North LGA,Imo State.
In his address, the CEO of NICO,Mr.Louis Eriomala,expressed satisfaction with the heights of achievement so far recorded by the leadership of NICO in Imo State and in Nigeria.
He said the occasion of NICO is in furtherance of its statutory mandate of harnessing our culture for national development,even as he disclosed that ARTCO was conceptualized in year 2004 as a platform where scholars,researchers and relevant stakeholders would meet annually to deliberately discuss on topical cultural issues and make approximate recommendations to govt on the way forward.
He recalled on the previous edition of the Roundtable with its theme:”Culture of Morality,Culture of Honesty and Hard Work, Culture of Tolerance and Nation Building, Culture of Patriotism and National Development, Reading Culture in Nigeria, Promoting Nigeria Dress Culture, Indigenous Language Newspaper and National Development, Mainstream Culture in the Nation’s Agenda,Culture in the Consolidation of Nigeria’s Democracy, the Role of Women and Youths”.
The CEO furthermore,stated through his address that it would require the concerted efforts of all stakeholders to achieve the desired objectives,which according to him,needs the collective efforts of the family, the school system, religious organizations,govts.at all levels.
“This, we can achieve by inculcating our positive cultural values in them,which serve as checks to negative behaviours or actions”, Eriomala submitted.
The Minister for Information/Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was ably represented by the Director of International Cultural Relations in the Federal Ministry, Mrs.Memunat Idu-Lah,said the conference are expected to brainstorm are critical and germane to national development.
She said the importance culture as the bedrock to development, the role of the Nigerian Youths as key drivers of development and cultural ambassadors as well as the value of the social media in contemporary times.
“The resolve of government to regulate the platform is not designated to hamper freedom of the information expression or gag public discourse as being alleged”the Minister Stated.
