Cultural Renaissance, The Nexus For Nigeria’s Development- Otunba Ajiboye

The Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, has stressed the importance of cultural renaissance as the pedestal on which Nigeria’s desire for meaningful technological development can be achieved.

The NICO Boss made this remark while delivering his Keynote Address at the Digivation Future Summit and Awards 2024 held on Thursday, August 22nd, 2024 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on the theme, “Preserving Cultural Identity in the Digital Age: Navigating Globalization and Technology in Nigeria”

Otunba Ajiboye, who contended that the transformation of our values and languages which has been significantly influenced by globalization was resisted by India, China and Japan despite being former colonies.

This, he further argued has left our cultural values at the mercy of globalization.

The NICO Chief Executive Officer also noted that though culture is dynamic, globalization contribute to exchange as well as convergence of cultural values and we must ensure that our unique identity is not eroded in the process.

To counter this, Otunba opined that conscious efforts must be geared towards reviving these values as well as guiding future content creation.

NICO, he further revealed has set up a cultural academy with a department for cultural technology which is aimed at harnessing cultural resources that will not only bring about innovations but will also contribute to national development.

Earlier on in his Opening Speech, the Convener and award winning digital broadcast journalist, Dr. Kanu Agabi, advised that we must not close our eyes to the ills of social media and stated it should be moderated in such a way that it’s negative effects does not outweigh the positive effects.

Reiterating Dr. Agabi’s position, the representative of the Governor of Nasarawa State and Director, Strategic Communication, Governor’s Office, Mr. Yakubu Lamai, disclosed that the ongoing transformation in Nasarawa State is being achieved by leveraging on information technology but urged other guests and stakeholders to use information and communication technology to revive our cultural memories which the unregulated use social media seems to have systematically corroded.

The height of the event was the presentation of awards to Otunba Biodun Ajiboye and others recipients by the representative of the Nasarawa State Governor.