PROFESSIONAL BODIES: ANY MAJOR ROLE AT CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY AT GROWING HERITAGE, TRADITION AND CULTURE IN THE LAND?

Mr. Timloh Nimmyel

“Tarok Day 2024 on my mind. The activities start tomorrow 25th April, 2024. I arrived NNPC MEGA STATION, Jos by 5am and I met the queue at Lamed pharmacy. I hope to get fuel for my journey to Langtang for the celebrations of Ilum OTAROK 2024 with focus on our Culture and Identity. There will be a fundraising for Tarok University”… Mr. Timloh Nimmyel.

As a matter of concern, I sit back sometimes and ask myself this basic question: what is the major role of professional bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Nigerian Medical Association, Nigerian Society of Engineers and their likes in terms of projecting intentionally the local identity of Nigeria, presenting to the globe through their programme of activities the much spoken rich tangible and intangible heritage, tradition and culture of Nigeria?

A close look at appearance in public functions by a very large proportion of the members of various professional bodies (clothing particularly) in the numerous events organized by them, and in their representation in other public functions put together by individuals, groups and institutions indicate noticeably that they are far removed from honouring and projecting the heritage, tradition and culture that communicate extensively the local content and cultural identity of Nigeria.

While engulfed with my thought “off and on” regarding the above, I strove off to grab some events on Facebook and facing me right now is a picture with a commentary by a Professional Accountant, a functionally active member of a Professional Accountants Body and a Senior Management Staff of a Public Corporation in Nigerian Mr. Timloh Nimmyel with the interesting commentary at the beginning of this piece about a voyage he was embarking on.

In that piece, he captures excitingly the vital role me thinks that Accountancy professionals like him and those in other fields should play in a collective effort likely to diversify the economic activities of the country through promoting and projecting massively Nigeria’s richly endowed heritage, tradition and culture, to open up the economic space and throw up job creation opportunities and wealth generation activities required to engage increasingly the idle youths roaming the streets, and to bridge the constantly rising unemployment gap in the country.

Mr. Timloh Nimmyel’s commentary on Facebook reveals a touch of willingness, excitement and commitment to his culture. His attire as the picture shows speaks volume at a time most people think that the more distant or far away they are from their culture the more professionally renowned they are.

Written by Nnabugwu Chizoba