The President, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Anambra State Chapter, Chief Damian
Okeke- Ogene has urged the Anambra State House of Assembly to enact a
law that will make Igbo Language compulsory subject in primary and
secondary schools in Anambra state to save it from extinction.
Chief Okeke- Ogene made the call during the grand finale, of Igbo quiz
competition for all the primary schools in the state, organized by Otu
Igbo Adigo held in Awka.
Correspondent, Chukwuemeka Modilim was there and reports that Chief Okeke- Ogene while addressing the participants regretted that NdIgbo are witnessing the slipping away of their mother language and culture, which he described as a serious threat to their root and
identify.
The chairman, Anambra state Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB,
Chief Patrick Ugboaja who disclosed that ASUBEB partners Otu Igbo Adigo
group towards promoting and sustaining Igbo Language, called on
teachers and parents to encourage children to speak the language with
pride at home, in schools, churches and other places to enable it assume it’s rightful position in Nigeria.
In her speech, the Head, Department of Linguistics Igbo, Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu Ojukwu University Igbariam, Dr. Obiageli Nsolibe noted that
the Igbo quiz competition will inculcate the culture of Igbo language in the pupils, adding that her Department have Igbo books for use at different class levels, which according to her, contribute towards the promotion and preservation of Igbo Language.
Welcoming the participants, the President, Otu Igbo Adigo, Lady Jane
Chukwujindu explained that the goal of the competition is to rekindle
and sustain interest of the children in Igbo language which she lamented will go
into extinction within the next fifty years as predicted by UNESCO.
Out of the fifteen primary schools that took part in the competition,
Ugborimiri Primary School, Onitsha emerged the winner while Umuezeani
Central School, Alor and Uzoakwa Primary School, Ihiala came second
and third respectively.
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