By Our Reporter
Prominent Igbo leaders have called on Governors Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state and his colleagues in the Southeast to come together and make Igbo language strong again.
The Igbo leaders, agreed that if something urgent is not done, the language is likely to go into extinction in few years to come
The Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, was absent when Igbo leaders stormed Shanahan University to brainstorm on how to make Igbo language strong again in Nigeria
However,no reason was given for the traditional ruler’s absence, but the event was well attended by other traditional and church leaders.
The event, took place at the hall of the Shanahan university on Saturday,where cultural displays and traditional attires took center stage by the students, lecturers and guests of the institution.
The Theme of the occasion was,”Igbo ga adi”(Igbo will be), which was organized by the school of General studies of the Institution, led by the Director,Prof Ngozi Ezenwa -Ohaeto.
The Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha,Most Rev Valerian Okeke,led the legion of priests to the event, which was chaired by the Provost, college of Medical Sciences, Prof Evarist Afiadigwe.
Delivering his lecture, entitled “Igbo Ga Adi”, Prof M C Onukawa of Abia state university, blamed parents and the new generation churches for the neglect of Igbo language in their churches where they use foreign language as the only means of communication.
“Some of the parents are even proud to tell people that their children don’t hear or speak Igbo”,adding that the yorubas and the hausas are far ahead of Igbo on that aspect .
Onukawa, therefore ,called on the Houses of Assembly in the Southeast to make laws that would mandate the universities to teach Igbo in schools, instead of making mockery of those studying it.
In her address, the Director, School of General studies,Prof Ngozi Ezenwa- Ohaeto, appealed to the governors and other stakeholders in Igboland to support the project .
According to her,by that, Igbo language would not go into extinction, adding that parents also have important roles to play in the project through their support and teaching the children the Igbo ways including the language.
The Vice Chancellor of Shanahan University,Rev Prof Josephat Oguejiofo, the chairman of the event, Prof Evarist Afiadigwe, the traditional ruler of Ivite -Anam, Igwe Sunday Ozoemena and other distinguished Igbo leaders, spoke in the same direction.
