Language Extinction: Igbo Women Vow to Save Language, Culture

*NLN CEO: Over 29 Nigerian indigenous languages face extinction

*Launches compendium of alphabets, numerals of Nigerian languages 

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

With the prediction of UNESCO that Igbo language is among the languages likely to go into extinction in the next 50 years, Igbo women have vowed to ensure the survival of the language and culture till eternity.
They stated this resolve weekend at a symposium themed – “Igbo Language and Culture: A Treasure Worth Preserving” – organised by the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) to mark the 2025 United Nations International Mother Language Day.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN), Prof. Chinwe Anunobi, has raised concerns that no fewer than 29 of Nigerian spoken languages face extinction.

She raised the alarm in Abuja at the 2025 International Mother Language Day, with the theme: ‘Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day’.
The Umuahia symposium held at the International Conference Centre Umuahia, Abia State brought together women from across the South East zone, traditional rulers, language and culture experts and other stakeholders to chart the way forward.

IWA is currently leading a campaign for the sustenance of Igbo language and culture not only in Nigeria but in every part of the globe where Ndigbo reside.
The women made a clarion call to governments of Igbo speaking states of Nigeria, policy makers, Igbo families, traditional rulers, school proprietors, and other stakeholders to join the crusade to preserve Igbo language and culture.

In a communique at the end of the symposium to mark the event, Igbo women declared their resolve to ensure Igbo language is accorded priority as the language of communication in the South East zone and other Igbo-speaking areas.
In the communique written in Igbo and read by former Abia State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Lady Chinedu Brown, the women demanded that henceforth, speaking and teaching of Igbo language should be made compulsory in schools.

They further demanded that the use of English language in official communications should be minimised, adding that Igbo should be used as official language of communication in Igbo gatherings.
The women recognised the critical role they play in the nurturing of children and enjoined every mother in Igbo families to speak the language to their children right from when they are in the womb.
The symposium featured paper presentations by experts in various areas of Igbo tradition and culture, each emphasizing the need to preserve Igbo language, various cultural practices, food, cultural attires, among others.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, who was represented by the Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Sir Matthew Ekwuruibe, said that government was already taking steps to ensure the survival of Igbo language and culture.
He said that the Arts and Culture Ministry was already discussing with the Ministry of Education to put measures in place “to ensure that Igbo is well spoken in schools as well as organising cultural events, among others”.

“We are Igbo and if you remove the language, we will lose our identity,” he said.

“We must embark on sensitisation of our people to return to our culture and tradition. We must push back to ensure that Igbo language won’t die in the next 50 years as predicted by UNESCO”.

The governor announced that celebration of the New Yam festival has been made compulsory for all traditional rulers in Abia with effect from this year in order to foster this culture practice.

In his remarks the former Secretary to Abia State Government (SSG), Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa, who chaired the event, underscored the importance of policy measures to encourage the speaking of Igbo language.

He regretted the absence of any law making it mandatory for Igbo to be the language of instruction from nursery to the last stage of basic education, adding that parents are also culpable in the relegation of Igbo to second language.

President of IWA, Lolo Nneka Chikezie, said that “it is a shameful thing that people take pride in speaking foreign language instead of Igbo” even in their homes.

She said that children should be brought up speaking their mother tongue, noting that an Igbo child that cannot speak the language would be lost and disconnected from his roots, kindred and culture.

Lolo Chikezie challenged Igbo mothers to take up the challenge of speaking Igbo language to their children because children spend much of their formative years with  their mothers.

“We shall take the campaign of promoting Igbo language and culture to everywhere,” she vowed.

Meanwhile, in Abuja, at the 2025 International Mother Language Day, NLN formally launched its compendium of Alphabets and Numerals of Nigerian languages, and noted that the compendium brings together for the first time, the alphabets and numerals of some languages and showcasing the complexity in beauty of Nigeria’s linguistic landscape.

Anunobi emphasised the critical role of mother languages in shaping the identity, culture, and development of all nations, hence in 1999 UNESCO designated the 21st of February every year as a mother language day.

She added that leveraging on that, UN put forward 2022- 2032 as an international decade of indigenous languages all aimed at preserving and promoting the language heritage of nations of the world.

She therefore called for concerted efforts to revitalize, promote and preserve Nigeria’s languages, she noted are an identity of the country, while also expressing the need to push forward and harder with a view to overcome the monster of losing the nation’s identity.

She said: “Nigeria with over 563 indigenous languages as shown in the map of Nigeria Languages has at least 29 of her languages critically endangered, with some, like Njerep and Ichen, on the brink of extinction.

“This loss would not only diminish our cultural heritage but also rob future generations of indigenous knowledge systems and traditional wisdom encoded in these languages.”

According to her, research shows that children learn best in their mother’s language during the early years of education, saying United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also affirmed that providing education in a learner’s first language improves cognitive development, fosters creativity, and enhances overall academic performance.

She underscored the importance of promoting mother languages not only for cultural preservation but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, which emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education for all.