Henshaw NYONG, Uyo.
Parents and guardians have been urged to encourage their children and wards to learn Akwa Ibom languages and culture at home and in Schools.
The President of Bring Back Our Language (BBOL), a foremost socio-cultural group in Akwa Ibom; Imaan Mike Umoh, said engaging children would encourage the growth of the State’s culture, language and traditions.
Umoh, was speaking exclusively to TheHILL Reporter in Uyo, said it was disheartened that, “many Ibibio, Anang, Oro, Ekid, Obolo parents in Akwa Ibom do not speak the mother tongue to their children, they prefer to communicate
in English, and as a result, many of the children are losing their mother’s tongue.”
His words: “It’s funny though, that many parents in Akwa Ibom do not understand Ibibio very well and those who understand do not speak the language anymore and I don’t know if it’s a pride or something else.
“For instance, you would greet someone in Ibibio, ‘amesiere’ and the next thing you’d hear is ‘good morning’ as a reply. Our dialects are gradually dying. Akwa Ibom languages were the envy of other tribes in the past, but they have become an object of extinction because many
parents now feel ashamed and reluctant to communicate in Ibibio,” he noted.
Umoh added: “I don’t know when we started becoming ashamed with our dialect but, you see, our forebears were known as the custodians of culture, traditions, and proverbs and were proud about these things.
“However, on our part, we will not rest on our oars since we know that the school
would be of great value for the children. So, by the special grace of God, we have done many advocacy campaigns in the past, we intend to launch another one soon. We will visit Nursery schools in the State to emphasize the need to promote our language and culture.
“We in BBOL have decided to take the pain and cost in ensuring that these
children are taught what they are supposed to know as far as our language, tradition and culture are concerned.”
Imaan Umoh noted that the BBOL, a foremost socio-cultural group with branches all over the Country,
would ensure that Akwa Ibom languages are sustained and raised towards upward with a view to expanding beyond the shores.
