This item from the Lagos paper Daily Champion was seen at http://allafrica.com/stories/200412201271.html (reference from OCPA News N��123 [26 12 04]). It is a little unusual to speak of a language with tens of millions of speakers as "endangered," but they are looking at trends. In this context it is interesting to reread the article by Okezie Chukwumerije on Igbo speakers abroad (http://www.gamji.com/NEWS1822.htm ; see also message #244 on AfricanLanguages). DZO
Igbo: Endangered Language Daily Champion (Lagos) http://www.champion-newspapers.com/ EDITORIAL December 20, 2004 Posted to the web December 20, 2004 Lagos Language has generally been defined as a body of words and the system for their use common to a people of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition. Going by that definition, there are clear indications that some indigenous Nigerian languages are under threat of extinction. Already five Nigerian languages have been extinct according to a recent report published by IOWA state university in the United States of America. The study showed that Ajawa Auyokawa, Basa - Gumna, Teshena wa and Fali formerly spoken in the Northern and Niger Delta parts of the country have ceased to exist. According to the report published last year, two languages are almost extinct. They are Bete which has few speakers out of the 3,000 speakers left in 1992 and Holma which had only four speakers left. While the demise of those languages may be attributed to the shrink in the population of their speakers, it is also clear that no conscious effort was made at ensuring continuity by way of impacting them on younger ones. This has resulted in a rapid shrink in the 400 indigenous languages spoken in the country. However, out of the three major languages in the country, namely Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, studies have shown that the Igbo language is the most endangered and currently under severe threat of extinction. A recent United Nations report indicates that going by the rate of its decline, the Igbo language may be extinct in the next 50 years. Professor Pita Ejiofo, a former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka has expressed concern that the language stood the risk of dying earlier than the projected time if no conscious effort was made by the owners to save the language. He said that while owners of the two other major languages have held theirs aloft, it would appear that Ndigbo the owners of the language are rapidly transforming into "Europeanized Africans". The irony, however, is that Igbo is spoken by a population reportedly larger than that of 70 per cent of countries in the world. Yet many children from Igbo families can neither speak nor write the language. They and their parents do not even take pride in expressing themselves in their indigenous language. Although as many as 6,800 languages currently spoken by roughly six billion people in the world are classified as threatened, there is no reason why the speakers should literally fold their hands and watch their language die. The case of Igbo is rather pathetic given that well over 30 million people are supposed to be custodians of the language within Nigeria and in the diaspora. One central problem said to be militating against the situation is the multifarious nature of the language which has resulted in plurality of dialects such that several clusters of speakers are scattered all over the Igbo speaking area. But an attempt, and a successful one at that, was made by the Onwu Committee in 1960 which made a compendium of words then known as Central Igbo. Little effort appear to have been made to popularize the report of this committee. Political leaders in Igbo land, in this instance state governors in the South - East states, should make the teaching and learning of Igbo language compulsory up to some level in secondary schools such that pupils would have been properly grounded in the written and spoken knowledge of the language. Parents, especially mothers who appear closer to the children will do well to bring them up in a manner that still gives them affinity with their root. Although English has remained the lingua franca in Nigeria, the use of indigenous languages should be encouraged where possible. In this guise we commend the Anambra State House of Assembly for making Igbo their language of deliberation every Wednesday. Other legislative houses in the South East should follow their good example. The gesture of Abia State in giving scholarships to students studying Igbo at the Abia State University is a move in the right direction, though students are said not to be excited enough to maximize the gesture. In spite of this, the Igbo Research Centre in that institution just like its counterparts in other tertiary institutions should be given enough support to continue keeping the language in the front burner. If the Igbo language is left to die, it will mark the end of the culture and way of life of a vibrant people who have a lot to offer to the Nigerian nation and the world at large. ------------------------ Yahoo! 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