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  • NICO, tech company to roll out digital repository for Nigeria’s culture

    NICO, tech company to roll out digital repository for Nigeria’s culture

    The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), in collaboration with ACITeksystem, a subsidiary of ACI Entertainment, has  announced the unveiling  of ‘DuduPlugs’, a revolutionary digital platform designed to preserve and promote Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and as well showcase the ingenuity of its people on global stage.

    They made the announcement at the pre-launch event on Tuesday in Abuja, adding that plans were underway for its global rollout scheduled for 2025.

    Wole Adeniyi, CEO of ACI Entertainment and Founder of DuduPlugs, emphasised the platform’s unique role in a globally connected world.

    He explained that DuduPlugs, is a dynamic social media and digital repository that  will allow users to immerse themselves in Nigeria’s vibrant culture through nine distinct plugs: Music, Fashion, Art, Film, Food, Dance, Green/Artistic Building, Technology, Language, and Literature.

    According to him, the platform  will not only promote cultural diplomacy but is also set to boost Nigeria’s creative economy, positioning the country as a global leader in cultural innovation.

    “DuduPlugs is more than just a platform—it’s a beacon for cultural heritage, a bridge connecting Nigeria to the world and vice versa. Our vision is to create a global community where users can share, explore, and appreciate the vibrancy of Nigerian culture.”

    He added: “Through cutting-edge technology, DuduPlugs empowers users to become cultural curators and influencers. The platform supports crowdsourcing and virtual exhibitions, helping to preserve Nigeria’s cultural stories for future generations.”

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    In his presentation, Tech Leader  of the DuduPlugs, Fola Ogunsiakan underscored the platform’s potential for social and economic impact, noting that large-scale user onboarding could significantly boost Nigeria’s GDP, adding that “DuduPlugs is the perfect vehicle towards ensuring that foreign income comes into the country.

    Another Tech Leader, Banji Oyewumi lauded  DuduPlugs as a cutting-edge technology that leverages AI, machine learning, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to create personalized cultural experiences, bridge language barriers, and offer GPS-enabled virtual tourism of iconic Nigerian sites.

    Earlier in his Welcome Address, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, Executive Secretary/CEO of NICO, highlighted DuduPlugs’ alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and avowed commitment towards  ensuring that the nation’s culture and creative industries contribute meaningfully to national income., which he demonstrated through the creation of stand-alone Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.

    He added that “DuduPlugs is a groundbreaking step in elevating Nigeria’s global cultural presence. This platform enhances cultural diplomacy and opens new economic opportunities by showcasing our heritage to the world.”

    “This seamless combination of social connectivity aims to promote and preserve Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage with the view to pass it down to younger generations.

    “It will attract global acceptance and accessibility; attract foreign exchange earnings as well as evoke appreciation of the Nigerian culture, thereby strengthening its  economy and international image.

    “It will serve as an accessible educational resource and foster collaborations between cultural organisations, government agencies, and individuals to create a sustainable platform for cultural preservation and knowledge-sharing.”

    Ajiboye projected that by 2030, DuduPlugs would attract over 100 million users worldwide, significantly contributing to cultural tourism, entrepreneurship, and preserving Nigeria’s diverse traditions.

    In her presentation, Foluke Michael, Project Management Executive for the DuduPlugs, said the platform, when launched would  serve as tool for cultural diplomacy for Nigeria and will create jobs for its teeming youths and  therefore called for support and collaborations from government at all levels.

    She said, “This project is driven by passionate Nigerians from America and by some talents that have really made it around the world. I want the world to know that we are not just cut out for what they read in the news and there is something positive about our nation.

    “We want to create employment opportunity, we want to help youth and children and rebrand our culture.We want to be the Chinese of this world so that our food can also be yearned for beyond the borders of Nigeria,”

    The pre-launch event had attendance top government functionaries, as well as representatives of relevant agencies of the Federal Governments and that of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF) who delivered goodwill messages.

    The ministers of Art, Culture & the Creative Economy and that of Aviation and Aerospace Development  also send their goodwill messages through their representatives.

    As part of DuduPlugs’ global expansion, NICO and ACI Entertainment said  the platform will host the Nigeria-Pennsylvania Cultural Festival in the United States in 2025.

    They said the Nigeria-Pennsylvania cultural fiesta would offer opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s music,fashion, film, food and other cultural assets to the world, adding that “ the  landmark event will gather international stakeholders, artists, influencers, and cultural ambassadors to celebrate Nigeria’s cultural impact on the global stage, solidifying its role in cultural diplomacy.”

  • NICO: Leaders will be trained on cultural values – Ajiboye

    NICO: Leaders will be trained on cultural values – Ajiboye

    The newly appointed Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) Otunba Biodun Ajiboye has assured the Institute under his watch will focus more on training political leaders, legislators, diplomats, military and para-military leaders.

     Ajiboye, who was recently appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with 10 others to take over leaderships of parastatals in the Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, went into a closed-door meeting with Management staff on Wednesday.

    According to him, NICO has a lot of responsibility, particularly in the area of cultural training where more attention should be channeled to leaders of thought to ensure that all political leaders in the country get exposed to cultural orientations that will reignite our values in them. 

    His words: “We need to reactivate the idea of training and make it more profound among political leaders and legislators. We will take it to Mr. President to give us support and find a way to get through the leadership of the National Assembly to recognize that fact. These are the kind of trainings that we need; trainings that will lead to change of attitude, national cohesion and change of behavior among the citizenry.

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    “It is important for us to get our cultural values right because it is one of the most important psychological ways to fight societal decadence and get citizens to be more behaviorally responsible. 

    “So, I am more interested in training military leaders; I am more interested in training legislators; I am more interested in training a college of trainers because we need to first of all inculcate in them, the right culture and none of them should go without receiving our cultural training”.

    He maintained that acquainting political leaders, diplomatic leaders and military leaders with core cultural values will go a long way in achieving our quest for national development.

    To him, culture remains the national image that everybody wears and we need to find a way to get it right where the entire country will come to a point of appreciating our culture which can be achieved through collaborative exercises with the Federal Ministry of Education; National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other relevant agencies of government.

    While receiving briefs from Directors and Head of Units, Otunba Ajiboye said one of his topmost agenda will be the upgrading of the office environment to a first-class environment.

    “We need to first of all find a way to reconfigure the office environment and see how the cultural training aspect of the Institute’s mandate can be more boisterous and energetic than it is. If the environment is not proper, there is no way you can work well. What I am seeing here does not look like a first-class environment. When it becomes first class, people will work better. I am from the private sector and I understand what is called work ethics. If a man does not have a conducive environment and tools to work, how do you expect him to perform”.

    “You must agree with me that I have my premeditated vision and what I want to achieve. I came here with the vision to achieve something. The person that brought me here didn’t bring me for the sake of bringing me here, he has brought me here to be able to achieve a set of objectives and since I cannot do it without you, it will be very important that we are on the same page”.

    “I don’t see this appointment as government work. I see it as my work so if anybody feels it is government work, that person may not be on my page. I take it as my work because if it pleases God that I should be here at this time, it might as well please Him that I do my best”.

    “I want all of you to know that I don’t work with failure. I have never failed in any given assignment and this one will not be an exception. Some of you may think otherwise but I have a reason to say I must succeed. I am more interested in making success in this place, so our aspirations must be the same for us to be on the same page”.

    “I want to succeed. All I know is that I was at the forefront of that campaign and we are lucky that we won the election where we have the President produced by us and I owe him every molecule of my efforts; every pint of my blood to support him to succeed. I don’t care about anything or whatever any other person says. In carry my vision along, I will drag anybody that is relevant without any apologies. I don’t believe in failure nor excuses”.

  • Group hails Ajiboye’s appointment as DG of NICO

    Group hails Ajiboye’s appointment as DG of NICO

    A group under the aegis of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Movement (BAT) has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment of Otunba Abiodun Ajiboye as the Director General of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO).

    Ajiboye was a frontline member of the BAT which mobilised support ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    In a statement issued on behalf of the group by the Director of News, Afolabi Idowu he said, “BAT Movements congratulates the founder of our group Otunba Abiodun Ajiboye on his appointment as DG of NICO. The appointment is a well-deserved one. He is a round peg in a round hole, Otunba is a culture enthusiast. He’s a creative scholar being a fellow of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). No doubt the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy will benefit from his vast experience in the sector.”

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    NICO is one of the leading cultural training institutes established to energise various cultural establishments and contribute to world progress and civilisation through research and documentation of cultural assets and services, both tangible and intangible.

  • NICO to host a two-day roundtable on cultural orientation

    The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, will host a two-day  Roundtable on Cultural Orientation (ARTCO), with the theme: Mainstreaming culture in the nation’s economic agenda on March 8 and 9 at Prestige Hotel Event Hall, Benin City, Edo State by 10am.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is chief host while Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Culture and Tourism, Honourable Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, is the Chairman of occasion. Acting Executive Secretary of NICO, Mr. Louis Eriomala is the host.

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki is the Special Guest of Honour and will deliver the keynote address. Prof Eghosa Osagie Benson Idahosa University, Benin City will moderate the technical sessions.

    ARTCO 2018 is designed to serve as a veritable platform for the exchange of views on topical cultural issues by scholars and stakeholders. The resource persons  drawn largely from the academia will deliver papers on six sub-themes: Understanding the Relationship Between Cultural Values and Economic Development; Cultural Industries as Catalyst for Economic Growth; Culture and Economic Growth: Lessons from Leading Economies; Recreating Cultural Festivals for Economic Benefits; and Culture and Economy: The Dynamics of Globalisation.

    The yearly roundtable also seeks to mobilise and sensitise participants to appreciate the importance and use of our culture to national development; underscore the relationship between culture and economic development and emphasise the place of culture as one of the pillars of sustainable development.

     

  • NICO to host children’s cultural extravaganza in Abuja, Lagos

    National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture will hold its National Children’s Cultural Extravaganza with the theme Culture: A strategic tool for peace, unity and national integration tomorrow at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts & Culture, Area 10, Garki-Abuja by 9am.

    The event will feature pupils from 10 selected secondary schools in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as participants.

     In a statement, NICO Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Louis Eriomala, said the event is designed to stimulate the interest of secondary school pupils in Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

    The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture Permanent Secretary, Deaconess Grace Gerkpe is Special Guest of Honour, while former Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Abuja, Prof Mabel Evwierhoma will deliver a lecture based on theme.

    “The students from the selected schools will be participating in non-competitive events such as rendition of National Anthem in indigenous language; traditional fashion parade; traditional music and dance; and a roundtable discussion on the theme.

    NICO Children’s Cultural Extravaganza aims at fostering a sense of cultural identity, pride and awareness in our children; promote cultural education and scholarship, among students; encourage the appreciation and use of Nigerian languages, dresses, cuisines and music at all levels of social integration; cooperation and healthy competitions amongst students; create a platform to discover young talents in culture and creative arts as well as promote the culture of peaceful co-existence and unity amongst students from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds,” the statement added.

    While Abuja edition of the event holds tomorrow, the Lagos edition will hold on March 2 at Cinema Hall, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

    Pioneer Executive Secretary of NICO, Mrs. Victoria Agodo will deliver a lecture on theme.

  • Fed Govt lauds NICO on dress culture campaign

    Fed Govt lauds NICO on dress culture campaign

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has applauded the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) for its Nigerian Dress Culture campaign.

    The initiative, according Mohammed, is in line with the present administration’s policy  to urgently diversify the Nigerian economy.

    Mohammed made the statement at a two-day National Workshop on Nigerian Dress Culture and Sustainable National Development, organised by the institute in Niger State.

    The minister, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC), Dr  Gerald Adewole, lauded NICO’s campaign, which seeks to promote dressing in diverse Nigerian cultural attires, particularly the Dress Nigerian Days, which is currently receiving attention by the Federal Government.

    He said: “The promotion of Nigerian Dress Culture would engender enormous socio-political and economic benefits to the nation. The culture sector, which is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global economy, has the capacity to generate employment, create wealth and alleviate poverty; and this can only be achieved if Nigerians patronise Made-in-Nigeria dresses as opposed to foreign ones.”

    Noting that the NICO’s campaign will help in resuscitating the comatose textile companies that had hitherto diversified to the extent of providing employment for footballers through football clubs they founded and funded, Mohammed said the Federal Government was fully committed to creating an enabling environment for cultural and creative industries to flourish, including the textile manufacturing companies.

    House of Representatives’ Committee Chairman on Culture and Tourism Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, who chaired the occasion, advocated proper funding of the culture sector to enable the country reap the benefits of its cultural diversity. He promised to give speedy legislative backing to any bill aimed at repositioning the culture and tourism sector. He was represented by a member of the committee, Hon Mohammed Mahmud.

    Nico’s Executive Secretary Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, an associate professor, who was the chief host, spoke on the need for Nigerians to value their indigenous dresses, saying NICO conceptualised the Promoting Nigerian Dress Culture Workshop series to rekindle interest and pride in indigenous dress patterns.

    He added that the workshop was to promote patriotism in Nigerians through dress culture; showcase the beauty in diversity of the dress culture of various geo-political zones of the country; encourage unity among the different ethnic groups through integrated dress culture; enhance economic growth of local textile industries and stimulate job and wealth creation in the industry.

    Niger State governor Abubakar Sani Bello, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, noted that the state is working on an institute to preserve, protect and promote the dress culture of the state as well as partnering NICO on how to entrench Dress Nigeria at the grassroots.

    The event, which was well attended, featured cultural dances and Nigerian dress parade by students from various secondary schools in Niger State. NICO Cultural Troupe also presented a drama sketch to capture the theme of the workshop and a dance to spice the opening ceremony.

     

  • NICO to commence language programme

    In line with its mandate of mobilising Nigerians towards a culture-oriented lifestyle, the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture is  organising this year’s edition of its annual 4-week Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP).

    A statement by Caleb Nor, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma said participation in the programme, which begins from August 2nd to 30th  at the institute’s head office at No. 23, Kigoma Street, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja as well as its Zonal Offices is free.

    The statement added that the programme, which is in line with the institute’s mandate of harnessing culture for national development seeks to create awareness on the need to speak our indigenous languages, create a sense of pride in our indigenous languages, foster national pride/identity, encourage and preserve our indigenous languages as well as stimulate creativity in science and technology through the use of indigenous languages.

    This year’s Abuja edition of the programme will feature six (6) languages Efik, Gbagyi, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv and Yoruba.

    Meanwhile, the programme will run concurrently in Akure (Ondo State), Yenagoa (Bayelsa State), Owerri (Imo State), Katsina (Kastina State), Ilorin (Kwara State) and Yola (Adamawa State) where the institute’s Zonal Offices are located.

  • ‘NICO a strategic partner to traditional institutions’

    ‘NICO a strategic partner to traditional institutions’

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), has described the traditional institutions and the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) as significant partners in promoting Nigeria’s rich and diverse cultures. He said NICO was an important agency of the Federal Government because of its role in re-orienting and renewing the minds of Nigerians towards cultural renaissance.

    He said he would be glad to identify with the institute to sensitise Nigerians, especially the younger generation, about our unique culture, noting that the traditional institution’s synergy with the institute is very important because the Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and other minor cultures in Nigeria are gradually fading away.

    The Ooni, who spoke in his palace in Ile Ife, Osun State, while receiving the Executive Secretary of the institute, Prof. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma who paid him a courtesy call, said there are a lot of rich traditions and unique cultures, particularly in Ife, and by extension, Nigeria, which the world has not heard of and which he intends to showcase to the entire world with the collaboration of culture organisations such as NICO.

    The Ife monarch reiterated that such partnership is pertinent because research has shown that Nigerian and indeed, African religion and traditions, are the fastest growing in the world and there is urgent need to promote more of them to the world.

    On the unique aspects of our cultures that are unknown to the rest of the world, the Ooni disclosed that his palace is the oldest traditional institution in the country, which many Nigerians are not aware of. “We need to do a lot together to project our culture to other parts of the world,” he added.

    Ayakoroma said his visit was to congratulate him on his well-deserved choice and installation as the Ooni, to pay homage and to pledge his allegiance to the Kabiyesi’s reign.

    Ayakoroma intimated the monarch on the major programmes of the NICO, informing him that the institute organises a national conference for traditional rulers in Nigeria annually with the theme: Culture, Peace and National Security: The Role of Traditional Rulers, which has been pivotal to sensitising royal fathers on their strategic importance as primary peace agents in sustaining Nigeria’s national security.

    According to him, plans are on to organise this year’s edition of the conference and it is the hope of the management and staff of NICO that ‘Kabiyesi is going to give NICO his royal blessing and sensitise royal fathers in Nigeria to massively give their support towards actualising this year’s national conference. “And when arrangements have been concluded we would want you, Kabiyesi, to grace the occasion as the Royal Father of the Day,” he said.

    The Executive Secretary, who was accompanied on the visit by the female talking drummer, Aralola Apeke Olamuyiwa; his Southwest Zonal Coordinator, Mr. James Imohiosen; Mr. Law Ikay Ezeh and the Head of Ibadan Office, Mr. Kenneth Odum, presented souvenirs and a collection of books to the Ooni.

     

  • Culture agencies get new boards

    A NEW board for the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), headed by Alhaji Ibrahim Isma’il, has been inaugurated along with the boards of six sister parastatals in the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation.

    The ceremony, which took place at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja, also had the Acting Director, Office of the Executive Secretary of NICO, Hon. Nelson Ebi Campbell, inaugurated as a member of the board of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), which had, Lt. Col. Edor Obi (rtd) as Chairman.

    Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke, called on the board members to bring their wealth of experience to bear on the various parastatals they have been inaugurated into, with the goal of transforming the culture sector into becoming the new frontier to drive the economy of Nigeria.

    Though the sector is challenged with the issue of resources with which to execute fully its activities and programmes, noted the Minister, he urged the board members to be resilient in their resolve and approach to making a difference in the sector and to dwell more on the campaign of value re-orientation, which is one of the greatest challenge facing the nation today, he said.

    Chief Duke urged the newly inaugurated boards of parastatals for the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, saying, “we need to go back to the drawing table and look for ways to re-energise the sector because culture provides a critical opportunity which Nigeria is waiting for”.

    “As winning soldiers, I expect you to unleash your expertise, using your private sector driven experience to unlock the potentials of the sector, because culture has grown to become an enterprise”, Chief Duke stated.

    He challenged the boards of the culture parastatals to harness and aggregate the full potentials of culture and tourism while noting that they should see Nigeria as the brand to be promoted in everything they do and cautioned against personality pursuit.

    The Minister expressed delight at the huge support accorded the event by stakeholders in the culture sector and from families, friends as well as well-wishers of the board members being inaugurated, noting that, “this is a pointer to the fact that culture and tourism in Nigeria is going places.”

  • NICO chief mourns Vanguard Arts editor

    The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has described the death of the Arts Editor of Vanguard , Mr. Mcphilips Nwachukwu as devastating.

    He said Nwachukwu was a young man, who was passionate about his job.

    In a condolence message, Ayakoroma said it was very painful because he had known the late Nwachukwu for many years and had also seen him rise to become the Arts Editor of Vanguard .

    Praying for his soul to rest in peace, the Executive Secretary said his death brings to the fore an urgent need for an insurance scheme for journalists to be put in place because of the nature of their work.

    “I received the shock, the demise of Mcphilips Nwachukwu, the Arts Editor of Vanguard Newspapers. It is quite devastating, considering the fact that I had known him for many years, and seen him rise to become the Arts Editor of Vanguard. His death further brings to the fore the urgent need for an insurance scheme for journalists in Nigeria. Our hearts go out to the family he has left behind. Since death is a necessary end, we can only pray for his gentle soul to rest in peace in the bosom of the Lord,” he said.

    It would be recalled that in 2005, Nwachukwu was diagnosed with a debilitating kidney ailment. He was in South Africa that year to undergo a Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty (surgery) at the Pretoria Urology Hospital by a medical team led by Dr. Francois du P. Boezaart.

    The treatment went well and he had recuperated and resumed writing not only in the Vanguard Newspaper but his creative and research writing as doctoral student at the University of Lagos, Akoka.  In his poem, Singing my own dirge, Nwachukwu wrote concerning his health challenge.

    Singing My Own Dirge

    ‘Don’t let me die;

    a cockerel at mid life.

    Don’t let me die, the first of the sun god

    burning with dreams of yester- years …

    Don’t let me die; the burden bearer of fate,

    who stands at the threshold

    clearing yesterdays mess of ash’