Isoko language revival, communal union on rescue race

Like many Nigerian, many scholars and stakeholders are agreed that Isoko language faces a future of uncertainty. They express fears that the language may go extinct if urgent steps are not taken immediately to arrest apathy among its native speakers to use it – both at home and abroad. English and later, Pidgin English, and more recently, globalization have all conspired to harm the flourishing of Isoko as a language.

According to linguistic scholar, Shirley Yul-Ifode, “No language is superior to the other. No language is more complete than the other, richer than the other… All languages are therefore good, adequate and complete for all the purposes for which they are required by their indigenous speakers”. This is a noble endowment accorded all languages the world over. However, some languages have risen in disproportionate prominence far above all others to the extent that more than half of the world’s languages face extinction.

Apathy by Isoko native speakers who prefer English or Pidgin English and their refusal or unwillingness to speak the language to their children so as to ensure its perpetuity, according to concerned experts and stakeholders, are largely responsible for the sorry state of the language. The situation is worsened by the fact that for over 20 years now the language has not been taught in all the primary and secondary schools in the two local government areas its native speakers primarily reside.

In the face of a possible extinction facing the language, the socio-cultural and development umbrella group, Isoko Development Union (IDU) last month held Isoko Language Seminar to rescue the situation. The seminar was aimed at introducing the new orthography and curriculum of the language to the primary and secondary schools’ teachers that will begin the arduous task of reviving the language from bottom up.

Teachers in the two tiers from the two local councils were invited to IDU House for the two-day seminar for this important task alongside presiding bishops and clergymen in the land. Three prominent linguists and Isoko scholars – Dr. Elizabeth Agbada, Pastor Joe Okedi and Mrs. M. Umukoro – were the resource persons invited from College of Education, Warri to address the new Isoko orthography and curriculum. They also impressed on the teachers the task ahead of them.

President of IDU, Chief Amadhe Idu, noted that Isoko language faces extinction if Isoko people continue to show disdain for it as was currently the case, preferring to speak other languages to their children. He urged a conscious effort at speaking the language.

“Everybody in Isoko is beginning to realise that both the Isoko language and ways of life are gradually dying out. Isoko people no longer speak Isoko; those outside Isoko land speak English to their children rather than Isoko. Even those living in Isoko land also speak English to their children,” he said.

“If a parent wants his or her child to get him a cup of water, they prefer to say, ‘Go bring me water’ to a child born in Isoko! So, we resolved that rather than allow the language go extinct we need to consciously begin to encourage people to speak it and that every Isoko person should speak it, whether they live in Isoko or elsewhere and for books in Isoko to be readily made available for people to read. That is why Isoko Development Union (IDU) resolved that we need to revive the learning and speaking of Isoko language.

“Who are those to teach Isoko to the young ones and anyone willing to learn the language? We invited all the Isoko language teachers in Isoko North and South Local Government Areas, and authorities in Isoko language scholarship to come together so they can impart the new orthography of Isoko language and the new curriculum to these teachers and arm them for the work of teaching Isoko in primary and secondary schools. Our main objective is for Isoko people to be able to speak Isoko, and then write it if possible”.

For the rescue campaign to be total, IDU sought out and co-opted the help of the clergy, with the knowledge that majority of Isoko people attend churches and take instructions from there. Until recently, IDU President said, Isoko was the dominant language used in preaching the gospel in churches, but regretted that the practice is anti-Isoko development.

He noted, “We went to all the bishops and church preachers and cried to them that Isoko language is almost dead; that all your preachers in our churches mainly use English rather than Isoko to preach as against what was the case in the past; that interpretation is no longer provided at church sermons, as was done before and that now, we are very afraid of the development and its impact on the longevity of Isoko as a language. We informed the Bishops’ Synod held recently at Uzere that they should inform all preachers in all the churches to use Isoko to preach the gospel. That was what we resolved.

“IDU has taken it as a responsibility upon itself; we have collaborators in Elona Development Foundation, headed by the wife of former Secretary to Delta State Government, Mrs. Stella Macualay. The foundation provided funding for the new Isoko curriculum development and its approval by the Federal Ministry of Education”.

Idu explained that the union’s approach to the issue was methodically. A centre for the production of materials necessary for Isoko language revival efforts is being planned, adding, “As part of IDU’s plans, Isoko Unity House is being built within this land space where there will be Isoko Learning Centre that will comprise of Isoko Library. Already, there are books written that will advance Isoko Language revival drive; they are waiting to be distributed once the new curriculum comes into effect in both primary and secondary schools just as we are preparing the teachers from this seminar being conducted. We have gone far. Those of you who live outside Isoko should help us broadcast this message to all Isoko people worldwide on the need to sustain Isoko language wherever they are so it doesn’t die out or go into extinction. This is instructive, particularly when we cast our minds back to the Nigerian Civil War era; if Nigerian soldiers asked you if you were an Isoko and you are not able to speak it, then you are doomed. That was how many people died horrible deaths needlessly.

“We desire that the language does not die. After this seminar training, the committee will set in motion on how to distribute the books and teaching materials to all schools in Isoko”.

Secretary, Isoko Language Committee, Prince Peter Omovie urged all Isoko sons and daughters to support the project, noting, “We don’t want people to just write Isoko books and put them in the market. They must get in touch with Isoko Language Committee made up of professionals to vet any book on the language and harmonise it with the new orthography before it can go public. This is to ensure a smooth transition from the old orthography to the new one. We enjoin authors of books already written in Isoko to update them in line with the new orthography and reissue them. Most books in the old orthography have been reissued. The Isoko bible is already undergoing such harmonization”.

Also, chairman of the committee, Mr. Vincent Omorie added, “We ask all Isoko people to support this drive towards reviving and strengthening the language for its longevity so it doesn’t die out. This is an obligation we owe posterity – that the way our forefathers handed the language down to us is also the way we must hand it down to our children and their children’s children. That is what good parents do – preserve a legacy; the language is our legacy!”