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From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Ohnaeze Ndigbo has called on traditional rulers in the five South East and other Igbo speaking states to take more proactive steps at ensuring that Igbo language, culture and tradition are sustained and promoted.
Ohanaeze said it was not pleased that the young people nowadays appeared to have more preference for English Language and western cultures rather than theirs which beauty stand tall and unequalled.
President of Ohanaeze in Anambra State, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, made the call at the sixth annual Umunri colloquium themed Community-Based Approach to Promoting and Sustaining Igbo Language held in Enugwu-Ukwu community, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
He commended Umunri clan comprising Enugwu-Ukwu, Agukwu Nri, Nawfia, and Enugwu-Agidi communities for making serious efforts to sustain Igbo language, culture, and tradition and urged Ndigbo all over the world to emulate the communities.
“We are impressed with the way Enugwu-Ukwu community and the rest of Umunri (children of Nri) are promoting Igbo language, culture, and tradition particularly Ozo institution.
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“We encourage you to keep up the good work which you are doing to promote Igbo culture and tradition. The truth is that you’re being envied by others. We encourage other Igbo communities to emulate you because what you’re doing is good.”
Chairman of Umunri Colloquium Commission, Chief Uche Nworah, said the aspiration of the commission was to make the Umunri Colloquium, not just an Umunri affair but an engaging regional platform for the promotion and propagation of Igbo cultural, economic, social and political ideas.
Lead speaker at the colloquium, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, professor of African and Comparative Studies at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam said that findings show that Igbo language was endangered.
She, therefore, recommended that serious efforts should be made by the leadership of Igbo land, communities, families and others to ensure the sustenance of the language and cultural heritage.
“All hands should be on deck. All stakeholders in Igbo land, both at home and in the Diaspora should be involved in this race for the sustenance of the Igbo heritage,” she recommended.
