Igbo women, traditional rulers, and community leaders have called for urgent legislation to protect and promote the Igbo language, warning that decades of neglect could push it toward extinction.

The demand followed a two-day summit held over the weekend at Nnamdi Azikiwe University to mark United Nations Mother Tongue Day. The event was organized by the Igbo Women Assembly in partnership with Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and the Council of Igbo States in America (CISA).

Participants lamented the sharp decline in Igbo usage among younger generations, attributing it to schools, religious institutions, and parents prioritizing English and other languages.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo pledged to lead efforts to enforce laws promoting the daily use of Igbo across Anambra State. Speaking through the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Donatus Onyeji, Soludo called on families, town unions, and the government to work collectively, urging parents to speak Igbo at home.

Lolo Nneka Chimezie, National President of IWA, described the Igbo language as “a dying baby,” warning that about 80% of the next generation cannot speak or write it fluently. She stressed that only enforceable laws across the South-East and Igbo communities nationwide could save the language.

Traditional leaders also supported the move. Vincent Dike, Chairman of the Anambra State Town Union Council, pledged partnership with IWA, while the traditional ruler of Ifitedunu, Chukwuemeka Ilouno, warned Igbo could vanish within 50 years without urgent action.

Experts at the summit urged compulsory Igbo instruction in schools and emphasized early language exposure at home. Concerns were also raised about Igbo youths migrating abroad, disconnecting future generations from their linguistic heritage.

The summit, themed “Asụsụ Igbo na Omenala: Ngwaọrụ Maka Ọganihu Nke Akụnụba na Ọha Obodo” (Igbo Language and Culture: Tools for Socio-Economic Development), featured lectures, debates in Igbo, cultural performances, fashion shows, and local cuisine exhibitions. Delegates from the five South-East states and Lagos attended, alongside traditional rulers and notable dignitaries. (Vanguard)

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