August 23, (THEWILL) – Mr Segun Adegbaju is now the Director, Orientation and Cultural Affairs department of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), following the retirement of Mr Alex Omijie from the service of the Federal Government, in compliance with the provisions of the revised Public Service Rules (PSR) 2021.
This was disclosed by the Media Assistant of NICO, Caleb Nor, during a brief handover ceremony organised at the Institute’s Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, August 22, 2023.
According to him, the outgoing Director, Mr Alex Omijie, expressed appreciation to God almighty for the opportunity to serve the nation, saying it has been a successful and amazing journey.
His words, “Change is constant and inevitable. Since the last time we met, a lot of developments have taken place. I am sure you are aware of the new federal government policy on tenure for directors. As a result of that policy, there is a change in the leadership of the department. The circular says any director who has stayed for eight years or more should retire and I am one of those to retire by that circular while Pastor Segun comes in as the new Director for Orientation and Cultural Affairs.
“As a person, I feel I have paid my dues in NICO and it is time to hang up the boots. Contrary to what people think, I am actually very happy about it because when one door does not close, another door will not open.
He specially thanked the pioneer Executive Secretary/CEO of NICO, Mrs Victoria Agodo, saying, “She was the one who actually set the foundation for what I later became in NICO because she gave me a lot of opportunities and made me believe in things that I ordinarily thought I could not do. Also, subsequent Executive Secretaries have been wonderful, especially the incumbent Executive Secretary, Ado Muhammed Yahuza whom I must tell you is a gift to NICO. He is an amazing and exceptional leader. Indeed, NICO is a place where you learn a lot. NICO has given to me more than I have given in terms of experience, connections and the understanding of the Nigerian environment, he said.”
He, therefore, thanked the incoming Director and other staff of the department for their support over the years, saying the success the department has achieved under his leadership could not have been possible without their contributions and charged the staff to extend the same measure of support to the incoming Director towards achieving greater feats in the department.
In his response, the new Director, Mr Segun Adegbaju while describing his predecessor as a great leader whom he finds difficult to bid goodbye to, assured that he will continue to build on the legacies he has left behind and prayed for God to take him to a higher place.
Present to witness the occasion were; Hajiya Basirat Muse-Ajumobi (Head, Cultural Affairs); Gloria Ephraim (Head, Orientation), among other staff of the department.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
