The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy commends Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Seyi Makinde for his directive for all civil and public servants in the state to wear Aso Oke fabric every Thursday.
NICO welcomes Makinde’s decision as a new cultural and economic initiative that is part of a cultural revolution in Nigeria, stressing that all over the world, a people’s dress culture remains the most prominent aspect of their culture.
Executive Secretary/CEO of NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye says Governor Makinde’s directive for civil servants in the state to wear native dress (Ashoke) to work will help the people to redefine and appreciate their culture more appropriately.
“Dressing is one of the most prominent aspects of culture all over the world. A man who dresses in suit and tie is only encouraging culture of the British or Europeans, to which extent his culture is dying every day. Every growth predicated on foreign culture cannot endure and cannot be sustainable, which is why the world respects the Chinese today for proving that respect for culture can take them to the heights they ever imagined. To this extent, NICO is already pushing to ensure that profound cultural content is inculcated in the curriculum of schools and also make school children to use traditional wears to school. This is one way to make them appreciate and identify their cultural affiliation and affinities”.
“A people without a culture are a people without identity because culture defines man; culture defines humanity itself. This is why the appreciation of culture by Governor Makinde comes very commendable to us at the National Institute for Cultural Orientation, recognizing that a nation without a cultural identity can never attain a national identity while a nation without a national identity is a nation that does not have a distinguishing factor among the committee of nations”.
“Our culture is the only resource that we have that can make our country great again. Once we respect and identify our culture, Nigeria will be greater than we ever imagined because without respect for your culture, no country can grow. You cannot grow beyond your imagination”.
“We need to appreciate the culture of our people. If we feel that culturally, some acts are in contrast distinction to the modern way of living, we can adjust but not to depart from those cultural tendencies”
Caleb Nor
Media Assistant to Executive Secretary
NICO
