NICO warns against extinction of Nigerian culture

The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has raised a strong alarm over the growing erosion of Nigerian cultural values, customs, and languages, warning that the country’s rich cultural identity faces possible extinction if urgent and strategic interventions are not taken.

At a recent press briefing held in Abuja, NICO’s Executive Secretary, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, emphasized that globalization, western media influence, poor indigenous language usage, and a lack of national cultural pride are rapidly erasing Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage, especially among younger generations.

“If we continue on this path, we risk losing the soul of our nation — our culture,” he said.

 Culture at Risk: The Warning Signs

According to NICO, various indicators already point to cultural decline across Nigeria:

• Fewer children speak their mother tongue, with many urban schools actively discouraging indigenous languages.

• Traditional dress, music, greetings, and festivals are being replaced by foreign pop culture and fast fashion trends.

• Civic values rooted in Nigerian customs — such as respect for elders, community responsibility, and family hierarchy — are fading fast.

• Important cultural practices like storytelling, moonlight games, naming rites, and indigenous governance systems are vanishing from urban life.

“When our children cannot greet in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or Tiv, or sing folk songs passed down from our ancestors — that’s not modernity, it’s cultural loss,” Ajiboye warned.

 What’s NICO Doing About It?

To stem the tide, NICO has launched several new initiatives aimed at reviving Nigerian culture and reawakening cultural pride, especially among the youth:

1. National Mother Tongue Revival Campaign

   • Encouraging schools to integrate Nigerian languages into their curriculum

   • Developing mobile language-learning apps in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Tiv, and Efik

2. Nigerian Cultural Ambassadors Program

   • Recruiting Nollywood actors, musicians, and influencers to promote cultural values

   • Sponsoring documentaries and mini-series that highlight Nigeria’s traditional practices

3. Community Culture Revival Clubs

   • Setting up local youth clubs in states to teach proverbs, songs, games, and heritage crafts

   • Partnering with monarchs and elders to conduct cultural mentorships

4. National Indigenous Culture Week

   • A week-long nationwide celebration encouraging all Nigerians to wear traditional attire, speak local languages, and participate in native festivals

“Culture should not only live in museums and festivals. It must live in our homes, our schools, and our hearts,” Otunba Ajiboye said.

 Culture is Identity, Not Decoration

The Institute emphasized that preserving culture is not about resisting progress, but about maintaining the unique identity that gives Nigeria its strength and diversity.

In a world rapidly shifting toward artificial intelligence, digital globalization, and cultural homogeneity, NICO says nations that fail to protect their heritage risk becoming culturally irrelevant.

“Our culture is our competitive advantage — it is our contribution to global civilization,” said cultural historian Prof. Amina Yusuf during a panel hosted by NICO.

 Public Response and the Way Forward

Many traditional rulers, educators, and youth leaders have applauded NICO’s warnings, calling on:

• State governments to fund cultural initiatives at local levels

• Parents to speak indigenous languages at home

• Media houses to promote native storytelling, fashion, and festivals

• Faith communities to avoid labeling culture as “uncivilized” or “sinful”

“Culture is not idol worship. Culture is values, music, language, naming, cooking, and dressing — it’s what makes us Nigerians,” said Queen Elizabeth Eweka, a Benin royal cultural advocate.

 Final Note

NICO’s call is a timely reminder that development without identity is hollow. As Nigeria advances, the question remains: will the future still sound, look, and feel Nigerian?

“Our culture is not dying naturally — we are killing it with our silence and indifference. It’s time to revive what makes us who we are.”