Who Will Save The Igbo Language?

**bolanle** · 10-19-2006 09:28 PM

In 2004, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) listed Igbo, supposedly one of Nigeria’s three main language groups, as under threat of "extinction".

The extent of illiteracy in the use of Igbo language to which the educated and semi- educated Igbo have sunk could be gleaned from the ordeal of a security chief translating a "calm down" message on television in the wake of the Ikeja Army Cantonment bomb blasts scare in January, 2001. For a task that his co-Yoruba and Hausa speakers had discharged with minimal difficulty, the Igbo translator stumbled with his assignment, switching from Igbo to English at intervals. Repeatedly, the security chief mentioned the word ‘bomb’ whereas a proficient speaker of Igbo would have said ogbunigwe. It is believed that the majority of educated Igbo prefer listening to radio and television news in English rather than Igbo that could pose problems of deep nuances of expression. If older people of Igbo stock who grew up within a vernacular climate face this plight today, the fate of the culturally alienated younger generations seems all too clear.

Cultural imperialism in the context of the superpower status of English Language will remain potent in the foreseeable future. As the historical influence of Greek and Latin cannot be divorced from the great Greek and Roman empires, so the "nationalisation" of English by the modern, powerful West, accounts for its international dominance. A measure of the influence of political economy on language and culture can be viewed from the increasing shift to American spelling as a result of the use of American-made computers. When practitioners in the fledgling, Nigerian home-video industry sometimes criticized as the visual equivalent of Onitsha market literature, designated their trade "Nollywood," it perhaps did not strike them that the next logical step would be the imitation of Hollywood’s subtle cultural agenda. It is interesting to note that this local video scene which took off in 1990 with substantial productions rendered in Igbo has since abandoned the vernacular medium for scripts written in often, poor English.

The fortunes of the Igbo language have been further eroded as a result of the political disadvantage faced by the 25 million Igbo nationality group. In the winner-takes-all equation that defines much of Nigeria’s power game, fluency in the language of a ruling ethnic group could be a big asset. With the military in power from 1966-1999, except for a four-year civilian break (retired generals are still calling the shots in the present democratic dispensation), the post-Biafra officer of Igbo extraction was understandably a spectator at the theatre of power. While some Igbo consciously embrace the language of the ruling group to the detriment of mother tongue, some are subtly conditioned by the prestige and influence overflowing from political authority.

Yet, the single greatest factor underlining the grave threat to Igbo as functional language is the unwillingness of the sub-Igbo nation to come to terms with its split personality. Some Igbo continue to use the misnomer Ibo for the language blissfully unaware of its colonial origins. Indications point towards a lack of consciousness of social imperatives.

The pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohaneze in its over 24 years of existence has mostly been vacuous, neither articulating nor advocating any identifiable cultural agenda. Many have tried to use the organisation as platform to achieve political relevance and patronage. Another relevant body, the Society for the promotion of Igbo Language and Culture, which recorded modest gain in the past, has been in limbo since the death of its founder and foremost author in Igbo, F.C. Ogbalu, in 1989. Igbo traders often resort to other languages to seduce potential buyers.

It is also the case that even without any undue influence, some Igbo choose to learn and speak other language simply to demonstrate their linguistic prowess. In itself, this seems a very positive aspiration. But this apparent liberalism is contradicted by what amounts to an abandonment of the mother tongue. Consider the not uncommon spectacle of a religious worship in Igboland where all members of the congregation are Igbo-speaking, and the choir busies itself singing hymns in other Nigerian languages! One is even more at a loss that this could be happening in an age that Christianity speaks on local enculturation of the gospel. The same desire for sophistication lead some parents to communicate with their infants in English at home even as Nigeria’s national policy on education advocates that instruction in the primary school should be in the child’s mother tongue.

Although the language question remains a controversial issue for African writers, Chinua Achebe’s position that he is a bilingual speaker of English and Igbo and could therefore, write in either of them, seems to command greater merit than the exclusivist stance of some other writers. As it were, a co-habitation of Igbo and other languages will be a victory for a language in danger of abandonment.

In its neglect, the Igbo language, in April 2006, found a friend in Out Subakwa Asusu Igbo, an association that as its name says, will work towards rekindling interest in the speaking of Igbo language. Led by Professor Pita Ejiofor, immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, the body is presently drawing up a programme with which to pursue its objectives. Concerted efforts are however, needed to save Igbo language from falling into disuse.

Top on the priority should be the compilation of a standard Igbo dictionary. The lack of such a definitive reference book has rendered the language dormant; like a car without fuel.

The ratio of Igbo language programmes’ air time to English language programmes in government- owned broadcast stations in the Igbo-speaking South Eastern States presently stand at about 20:80 per cent in favour of English. This lopsidedness cries for urgent remedy. Furthermore, the relevant state and local governments can give the language a boost by making it the alternative official language at legislative and executive council sessions.

Translation of general and literary classics into Igbo ought to start apace. That Achebe’s classic, Things Fall Apart, has yet no published Igbo translation is a serious indictment on the Igbo society.

The Igbo society should also throw into the bargain provision of scholarships for studies in Igbo language and prizes for brilliant literary creativity in Igbo. A well-furnished Igbo website on the Internet is inevitable. One hopes it will not be too long in coming.

•Afuba wrote in from Nimo, Anambra State

www.independentngonline.com

**Pete** · 10-19-2006 10:40 PM

We have other things to worry about like learning and speaking other languages fluently so we can travel and do business. Anyi bu ndi na-acho okpogho/ego!

Igbo Language is probably one of the hard-to-develop Nigerian languages, because it has so many variations. An LGA can have as much as 10 variations of an Igbo sentence structure. That is just LGA, not State. It is that kind of complexity that makes it difficult to have anything like "Central or generally acceptable Igbo structure". In Abia State, someone who lived in Ikwuano will a have hard time understanding someone from Ohafia LGA. In Bende LGA, someone from Uzuakoli may not understand some of the terms used in Ozuitem -- a nearby town!

It's a tough call, really, although I'd love to see any helpful ideas/proposals implemented soon, not just talk.

**dymesgirl** · 10-20-2006 12:21 AM

This post long no be small.TBC tomorrow.

**Ngo4naija** · 10-20-2006 02:35 AM

Pete thats right, variations and stuff. But thats not the problem. Look at other world langauges, Chinese, Japanese, and only God knows what. These languages are being learned by foreigners just because they have something to gain from it. A lot of people feel that theres nothing in Igbo land, theres no need to speak the language. So they dont even care to speak or learn it.
I will finish this tomorrow, ka odi...........

**ogonna** · 10-20-2006 03:57 AM

The good folks at www.uwandiigbo.com are trying to save Igbo language and culture. Please join and help them.

**grafikdon** · 10-20-2006 04:58 AM

The variation is not an excuse, every Igbo man and woman who understands the language knows there is that particular Igbo that everyone understands. Most of us have no value for the language, that is why you see a so called moronic Igbo man typing 'Ibo'. The worst part is when you point that out, they tell you "It is the way oyibo understands it?"... this foolishness goes along to encourage other people oustide the Igbo tribe to use 'Ibo' which I find highly offensive. Why should I blame them when those who are supposed show them the light are also wallowing in that putrid pool of misconceptions?

I don't know of any Yoruba man who would type "Yoroba' or Hausa man who will type "Hasa", neither is there an Urhobo who will type "Urobo". Josephu Nwankwo who did not 'breake slate' will try to impress you with 'English' and Josephinu Ononikpo who'd never seen the four walls of a classroom will try to murder your ears with "Any taimu yu a hongiri..leti mi cooku a bigi potu ofu raisi"

I am from Ekwulobia and if I break out my variation of Igbo, you'd probably shoot me but that never stopped me from using that particular Igbo comprehensible to all when dealing with some people outside my home town. When I am with my towns people, no to go hardcore...no yawa.

@ ogonna thanks for the link.

**Sola** · 10-20-2006 07:02 AM

Yes, but Yoruba people now type "kpele" for "pele" - and other language murdering stuff like that. Yoruba is dying just like Igbo is dying, although in the case of Igbo, the ting get as e be. It probably starts with all those English names. Whatever happened to Chukwuemeka as a name?

**bluestocking** · 10-20-2006 07:33 AM

I think one of the reasons why the Igbo language is dying is because of the kind of people who represent Igbo people in day to day life. For example, I go to the bank and we're all on the queue waiting to be paid, then in comes this man from nowhere and he's making a whole lot of noise talking at the top of his voice asking that he be attended to. Next thing he's speaking Igbo and is generally being obnoxious. If i am in that banking hall, and I'm Igbo, I wont speak up o, lest they tar me wit the same brush as that obnoxious igbo man. so what happens? Most young 'hip' Igbo people will not speak Igbo especially in public because they dont want to be associated with a loud, crass, obnoxious trader.

**Aust_nne** · 10-20-2006 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by bluestocking

I think one of the reasons why the Igbo language is dying is because of the kind of people who represent Igbo people in day to day life. For example, I go to the bank and we're all on the queue waiting to be paid, then in comes this man from nowhere and he's making a whole lot of noise talking at the top of his voice asking that he be attended to. Next thing he's speaking Igbo and is generally being obnoxious. If i am in that banking hall, and I'm Igbo, I wont speak up o, lest they tar me wit the same brush as that obnoxious igbo man. so what happens? Most young 'hip' Igbo people will not speak Igbo especially in public because they dont want to be associated with a loud, crass, obnoxious trader.

I dont understand you Blue, so only (or would I say, Mainly) Igbo people would behave like that in public?

**bluestocking** · 10-20-2006 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Aust_nne

I dont understand you Blue, so only (or would I say, Mainly) Igbo people would behave like that in public?

Aust, definetly not only Igbo people behave that way. That's just an example. More often than not the loud obnoxious person bullying someone else in public, is either a 419er or trader and guess what? They are usually Igbo.
Dont get me wrong, I dont have anything against Igbo people or the language and trust me I speak Igbo well enough. I'm just saying that people being the way they are, they'd rather distance themselves from people like that. It takes a lot of maturity to still be yourself and to know that what that Igbo man does has no direct reflection on you as an Igbo person.

**ogonna** · 10-20-2006 08:03 AM

bluestocking,

have you reflected on the possibility that the stereotype of Igbo as trader or 419 is just that - a stereotype?

why would you live your life apologizing for who you are for fear of being tarred with a stereotype?

is it my fault that nigeria has chosen to stereotype the Igbo as uncouth Omata trader?

i refuse to apologize for being Igbo and so I speak my language whenever I feel like in public places though with the utmost respect to the sensitivities of others when in mixed company

**bluestocking** · 10-20-2006 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by ogonna

bluestocking,

have you reflected on the possibility that the stereotype of Igbo as trader or 419 is just that - a stereotype?

why would you live your life apologizing for who you are for fear of being tarred with a stereotype?

is it my fault that nigeria has chosen to stereotype the Igbo as uncouth Omata trader?

i refuse to apologize for being Igbo and so I speak my language whenever I feel like in public places though with the utmost respect to the sensitivities of others when in mixed company

Why do stereotypes become stereotypes? Because they are true.

Ogonna nobody says you should apologise and if you read my post properly, i'm sure you'll notice that i mentioned that i speak Igbo regardless. i was merely giving a reason as to why Igbo language might be dying. you get?

**Papino** · 10-20-2006 10:14 AM

Bluestockings wrote,

"..... Most young 'hip' Igbo people will not speak Igbo especially in public because they dont want to be associated with a loud, crass, obnoxious trader".

Blue,according to you,Igbo language is dying bcos people avoid being stereotyped.Your instance of a loud trader in a bank conveyed that position.
wouldn't you still notice the same guy if he speaks English with a thick Igbo accent?Would the same instance be forwarded as a reason for a decay of spoken English in your world of ideas?
THINK BETTER!!!

**Sola** · 10-20-2006 10:18 AM

Papino, learn to use the quote button. Its easy. See the help desk forum for tips.

**Papino** · 10-20-2006 10:21 AM

Thanx for the tip!

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