03/06/2025
While in the secondary school, speaking Igbo language in school was a punishable action. The names of defaulter were taken and punished.
This day, Igbo language (as well as other Nigerian indigenous languages) is gradually being adopted by some Universities as a compulsorily-taught course in their GS.
Moreso, I have learnt that some Nigerians residing abroad now spend a lot to pay tutors who come to reach their kids the Igbo language.
Igbo language is supposed to be a mother tongue but it's either some mothers don't eben know how to speak the language anymore or that they think it is a "class" thing to teach their kids English, alone.
Exposing the child to multiple languages - the local mother tongue language and English (which they'll still learn in school) - sets the child up for better developmental steps. At their young age, their brains are ready to adopt and learn whatever they're exposed to. Don't deny them that opportunity to also know their local language. Automatically, they now speak two languages. If you must, then raise them with your local language, they will learn English in school - that's the essence of paying school fees for them to go to school.
This confusion is what happens when a people have low self esteem of their origins; confused about their identity and have little or no information of what makes them who they are.
Have a nice day.
~ Nonso'Prof' Stanley Anene
