Concerned about the possibility of the Igbo language going into extinction, some Igbo women under the aegis of the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) have designed a programme to help save the Igbo language.
The women said they are determined to promote the use of the language as a major means of communication among Igbo families both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.
The women disclosed that they would be holding an event on February 21, 2024, in Owerri, the Imo State capital, to mark the United Nations International Day for Mother Tongue, using the event to celebrate Igbo language in its fullness.
National President of IWA, Nneka Chimezie, who announced this, yesterday, at a press briefing in Enugu, appealed to Igbo youths, particularly young parents, to show interest in their mother tongue by speaking it to their children.
“Igbo language is our native language, and it has been our custom in IWA to celebrate the International Day of Mother Tongue every year,” she said.
Chimezie, who said the group had already established seven schools in Lagos where Igbo language is taught.
disclosed that the group intends to have Igbo language centres across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to encourage young Igbo to learn and speak the language.
