The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged its commitment to promoting the cultural reorientation of Nigeria, News About Nigeria reports.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, stated this while speaking in Abuja during a courtesy visit by Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO).
He noted that the Communications Commission will support the re-orientation of Nigerians by mandating telecom companies to ensure subscribers have access to content that will preserve and positively shape Nigerian culture.
According to him, it is important for critical stakeholders to exhibit a high level of cooperation and collaboration in reorienting Nigerians towards their cultural values, adding that it is risky for Nigerians to continuously consume foreign content as they are shaping the Nigerian culture.
He stated that domestic content production must increase so as not to lose the Nigerian culture.
“If we don’t produce our own content that will drive home the culture we want to preserve, it is the content we are consuming from outside that will shape our culture. NICO has a much bigger part to play here. While we provide the pipe that delivers the content, those producing the content have a major stake in influencing the type of content to be shared.
“Today, if you watch Nigerian movies, the accent they speak with as well as their dressing does not totally reflect Nigeria; even the topics are not rooted in our culture,” he stated.
He further stressed the need for deliberate steps to address the lack of cultural identity in Nigerian media, stating that the visit aimed to discuss potential areas of collaboration between the two organisations.
In response to NICO’s proposal for telecommunication operators in Nigeria to include cultural content on caller tunes, as well as through short codes and robo-calls for cultural information, Maida assured the commission’s support.
Otunba Ajiboye, during the meeting, emphasised the need to integrate cultural content into the digital age.
He highlighted the influence of information technology on daily life and the importance of leveraging digital infrastructure to enhance Nigeria’s arts, culture, and creative industries.
