The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), says it will digitise the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP), to provide participants the opportunity to access it online.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Institute, Mr Louis Eriomala, who was represented by the Director of Orientation, Mr Alex Omijie, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of a two-month language programme at the Mogadishu Barrack in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said, “Plans have reached advanced stage to digitise the language programme, very soon interested participants can have access to the programme online.
“That is in addition to having it in a regular classroom setting; participants can then use their computers in the privacy of their homes to log on and learn a language.
“We are working on that and very soon, interested people will have the benefits,” he said.
He said the maiden edition of the ‘Language in the Barracks’ programme was designed for officers and men of the military, para military agencies and their family members.
Eriomala said that the institute was working toward fine-tuning the programme to be organised on a regular basis.
He said the training would enable the officers understand and speak more Nigerian languages, adding that being multilingual would enhance the officers professional efficiency and effectiveness.
“Aside from that, it will promote espirit-de-corps, better understanding among officers, facilitate information gathering and enhance cordial relationship.”
He stressed the importance of indigenous languages to national pride and identity, saying it would also promote national unity and integration.
“The more the officers understand each other, the more they can interact, if we understand each other’s languages, we understand ourselves better.”
Eriomala said the maiden edition of the ‘Language in the Barracks’ programme was designed for officers and men of the military, para military agencies and their families.
The Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Maj.
Gen.Jak Myam said the programme had helped officers gain professional proficiency and had engendered the spirit of togetherness among various ethnic groups, clans and culture.Maj. Gen. Francis Ohunyeye, represented Myam.
Myam said such trainings would enhance cultural awareness, cultural orientation and foster unity amongst the officers.
He said the programme was timely considering the current security situation in the country.
Mrs Grace Anthony, a participant expressed delight about learning the three major indigenous languages, saying she could now speak Igbo language fluently.
“My husband is a soldier and as a wife I keyed into the programme so that I can better co-exist among other families in the barracks, who speak different languages to me,” she said.
NILP is one of the core programmes of the institute aimed at addressing language extinction and endangerment in the country.
The best participating students were given N5,000 each, in each class. (NAN)
