As part of efforts to save Igbo Language from extinction, Abagana Youth Association, Lagos Branch has honoured best students in Igbo language.
The award ceremony, held at Abagana Civic center, was the first of its kind in the community.
It drew all the best students in Igbo Language from all the public secondary and primary schools in the community.
The award initiated by Abagana Youth Association, was sponsored by Chief Chibuzor Igboaka with the aim to promote speaking, writing and learning of Igbo Language while making the children proud of the Igbo language.
Declaring the event open, the Chairman on the occasion, Chief Emeka Igboaka said investing in education is the greatest thing one can do for others as according to him, education is the bedrock of any progressive society.
He lamented that many Ndi Igbo do not know how to speak their language and asked parents and guardians to make it a point of duty to make the language the first thing they teach their children and wards.
The Chairman of Abagana Youths Association, Lagos Branch, Sir Peter Igboaka explained that the association is poised to close any gap that their community is lacking, saying that it was why they are investing heavily in annual sports competition in the community and has set up different environments in education.
Sir Peter said the association deemed the award necessary because it is a way of encouraging those who performed excellently in the subject and to change the notion that Igbo Language is not important.
He frowned at teachers who prohibit their students from speaking Igbo language and urged them to look at other people’s culture to see how they promote their language and even foreigners who are making painstaking efforts to learn Igbo language.
In a goodwill message, a stakeholder from the community who is the National Auditor of People’s Democratic Party, Sir Ben Obi-Okechukwu said there is need to encourage people to speak Igbo language and described as bravery, the practice of punishing students because they spoke Igbo language.
A teacher, Mrs Irene Ikenokwulu commended the award initiative and said that it will motivate the pupils to put more interest in learning and speaking the language.
In their separate speeches, two awardees, Chinaza Onwuegbusi and Happiness Obata, thanked their benefactor, Chief Chibuzor Igboaka and promised that they will join in the vanguard for the promotion of Igbo language and culture.
The best students in Igbo Language in the secondary school’s category went home with cash awards of thirty-thousand naira each and other gift items while those from the primary schools went home with twenty-five thousand naira each and other prizes.
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