SUN NEWSPAPER ASKS OTHER IGBO GOVERNORS TO EMULATE GOV. OBI

Reviving Igbo language and culture

Editorial Index


Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has demonstrated leadership in the quest for Igbo renaissance by coming out with far reaching measures to revive Igbo language and culture. At the recent launch of Suwakwa Igbo initiative at the Women Development Centre, Awka, Obi enjoined all Igbos to love themselves, their culture and language for their sustenance as a people.

As a demonstration of this love for the language, the governor announced, among others, annual cash award of N250, 000, N200, 000 and N100, 000 to the best three Igbo language students in secondary schools in Nigeria .

He also gave cash donations as well as university scholarship to the best two Igbo language students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Messrs Kevin Anozie and Chika Echeta, of Holy Child Secondary School , Isuofia and Bishop Onyemelukwe Secondary School , Onitsha respectively. Already, the governor has signed into law a bill to enforce the speaking and writing of Igbo language among Ndigbo in Anambra and Diaspora. He has stopped meting of corporal punishment to students who speak Igbo in schools in the state.

Like English Language and Mathematics, Igbo Language will henceforth be compulsory in all educational institutions in the state. The governor will soon send a bill to that effect to the State House of Assembly as well as making a pass in Igbo Language mandatory for employment in the state.
To sustain the renewed interest in Igbo studies, the state government has commenced the building of Chief Chidozie Ogbalu Igbo Language School at a cost of N50.5 million for specialized and holiday programmes in Igbo.

We commend Obi for his foresight in rolling out measures to revive Igbo language now that the language is among those predicted to go extinct in the near future if nothing drastic is done to promote its usage. By this action, the governor has added another feather to his cap. He has actually shown what responsible leadership can be. Obi’s example deserves applause because among the three major Nigerian languages, Igbo is the most neglected in terms of writing and speaking.

That is why most Igbos have been alienated from their language and culture. More interesting is the fact that of all the governors of Igbo speaking states, Obi is the only one that would take note of this cultural anomaly and make a move to address it. Obi’s effort is therefore a clarion call on all Igbos in Nigeria and Diaspora to take more than a passing interest in their language and culture. We say this because people perceive the world through their language. A people’s world view is encoded in their language.
If the Igbo lose their language, they have invariably lost their cultural heritage and identity. There is no doubt that the speaking and writing of Igbo has steadily declined over the years at home, in school and in social fora.

To the average Igbo, it has become more fashionable to speak English and other languages except Igbo. Regrettably, most Igbo hold their town union meetings in English. Government business in Igbo states is entirely conducted in English. This pitiable but funny attitude must change before Igbo language can regain its lost pristine glory. For this attitudinal change to occur, governors in Igbo states should emulate the Peter Obi example and encourage the speaking and writing of Igbo in their domain.

We call on all Igbos to wake up from their linguistic slumber and take great pride in using their language. Obi has shown the light. Let other Igbo governors take a cue. The declining interest in vernacular languages is not peculiar to Igbo language. Other Nigerian languages face similar problems. Let there be a rejuvenation of interest in these seemingly endangered languages. That is the only way we can protect them and preserve our cultural heritage.

All the government cultural agencies should be involved in the promotion of our indigenous languages. Why can’t we use the local languages in our state legislative houses? Lagos State House of Assembly now conducts its business once a week in Yoruba. That is good. But, we believe that there is the need to go beyond this mere tokenism.

Earlier research by former Education Minister, Professor Babatunde Fafunwa, has established that a child learns better and faster in his indigenous language. Most industrially developed nations reached their technological heights through their local languages. We too can do so by deploying the resources of our local languages to bear on the study of mathematics and the sciences. The time to key into this initiative of reviving our indigenous languages and cultures is now.