Institute Urges Nigerians To Harness Cultural Diversity For Development

National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has called on Nigerians to harness their rich cultural diversity for national development.

The call was made in Abuja yesterday by the executive secretary/CEO of NICO, Otunba Abiodun Ajiboye, during a one-day seminar with the theme, “Ethics, Values and Management of Cultural Diversity in Nigeria”.

Ajiboye stressed the importance of embracing and celebrating Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage to foster unity, promote economic growth, and enhance global competitiveness.

“The theme of this seminar does not only resonate with our quest for national development but also presents a unique platform for dialogue, reflection and collaboration for us to explore the challenges and opportunities in promoting ethics, values and cultural diversity in Nigeria.

“This is very fundamental in our quest for development, and we must make deliberate efforts to walk back and take control of our culture with absolute respect to achieve the national development we yearn for,”Ajiboye stated.

Therefore, he urged Nigerians in public and private spheres to embrace cultural orientation as a key pillar of national development.

While delivering his keynote address,Professor Odoma Samuel from Bingham University, Karu,Nasarawa State,noted that Nigeria has not successfully managed the peculiarities of several cultures in the country.

“We have not been successful in effectively managing the peculiarities of the over 300 distinctive cultures of the Nigerian State (Achebe, 2012).

“If we are successful, it would have portrayed the strength and beauty of Nigeria. The main reason behind our failure is that over the years, our cultures have not been perfectly perceived by most of us that are positioned to project them to outsiders,” he said.

Odoma added that with the relevant will, Nigeria can bounce back in cultural proficiency to the point where it can be used to reorganise society and promote national development.