Ndigbo Urged To Promote Mother Tongue To Protect Cultural Heritage

Ndigbo have been urged to take pride in their language to promote their cultural heritage.

Speaking at a forum in Awka, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Greg Obi, said language is fundamental in every culture and plays pivotal role in the survival and future of every society.

The Commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Nwabuonu Ogbaji, called on Ndigbo to forge a united front in the drive to promote Igbo language and culture.

While commending the state government for making speaking of Igbo language compulsory on Wednesdays, advocated the use of Igbo language in sermons by churches and religious organizations in Igbo land.

Also speaking, the founder Otu Subakwa Igbo Nigeria, Professor Pita Ejiofor, commended the State government for championing the cause of Igbo language and culture in the State and country in general and urged Ndigbo to wake up to the fact that Igbo language and culture are seriously threatened and called for incentives to be given to teachers who teach the language to encourage hard work and higher productivity.

Professor Ejiofor encouraged Ndigbo to speak and write central Igbo which is taught in school while using local dialets in their respective village activities .

Contributing, the Coordinator Chinese Language and Culture, Federal Polythenic Oko, Mrs. Christy Okoye, appealed to parents and teachers to start from home , Nursery and Primary schools to teach children and wards their mother tongue and promised to contribute her quota in ensuring that students studying Chinese also learn Igbo language

In their separate remarks ,some of the participants including the HOD Planning , Research and Statistics, Pastor Mrs Grace Ginikanwa and Mr. Christian Isika, commended the success of the event and called on Ndigbo to continue to promote Igbo culture and tradition especially in Igbo films and regretted some costumes and background often used in some home movies do not portray real Igbo language and culture.