Government Urges Parents and Guardians to Counteract the Influx of Foreign Culture

• The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) urges parents to teach their children culture, values, and indigenous languages to counter foreign influences
• NICO’s sensitization program promotes cultural consciousness in students and encourages appreciation of indigenous culture, norms, and traditions

The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has called upon parents and guardians to instill culture, values, and indigenous languages in their children as a means to counter the growing influence of foreign culture.

Ado Yuhuza, the Executive Secretary/CEO of NICO, made this call during a sensitization program for junior and secondary schools in Oredo federal constituency, held in Benin under the theme “Culture Consciousness and the Nigerian Child.” This event was organized in collaboration with Hon. Esosa Iyawe, a member of the House of Representatives representing Oredo Federal constituency.

Yuhuza stressed the importance of cultural consciousness in discouraging young people from adopting foreign cultures, which he believed had a negative impact on the youth.

He emphasized, “My message to the parents is to teach their children their culture and values. They need to ensure that their children embrace their culture and values and refrain from adopting foreign cultures, as these trends are hindering the nation’s progress.”

He noted that with the proliferation of social media, children are increasingly exposed to external influences and are at risk of adopting foreign values. To counter this, Yuhuza advocated for cultural orientation to ensure that children grow up embracing their culture, values, and indigenous languages, thus becoming better leaders of tomorrow.

Promoting cultural consciousness, he explained, would help young people become responsible citizens and future leaders who appreciate the significance of their culture, norms, and traditions, enabling them to contribute to the nation’s development.

The program featured various activities designed to stimulate creativity, national consciousness, and healthy competition among students. These activities included reciting the national anthem in indigenous languages, traditional hairstyling, traditional music and dance, a fashion parade, cultural quizzes, cultural cuisine, poetic recitations, and debates.

Hon. Esosa Iyawe, the lawmaker, highlighted the importance of culture in national development. He expressed the need to sensitize students about the value of their culture and to encourage them to focus on their own values rather than foreign influences.

He also pledged to collaborate with the state government to incorporate cultural heritage into the school curriculum.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, represented by the Commissioner for Art, Culture, and Tourism, Dr. Uyi Oduwa-Malaka, emphasized the state’s commitment to rediscovering its cultural identity and heritage. He noted that Edo State has a comprehensive Heritage Policy in place and is currently under review.

The governor’s administration plans to work in partnership with NICO to instill early interest and awareness in cultural heritage and values among the youth.