The latest executive intervention to rescue Igbo language from its premature extinction is perhaps the most efficacious prescription for an ailing language.
Obviously at pains with the looming cultural tragedy, the Imo sate governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha directed Igbo parents and guardians inLagosto register their children for the Igbo Language Clinic being organized in the City.
One is not in doubt that the executive action was informed by the ethnic-ridden syllabus in use inLagosschools where Yoruba language is officially adopted or preferred in teaching and learning in kindergarten schools not minding the ethnic group one belongs. With Igbo kids in their midst exposed early in life to Yoruba as the language of the cradle, Yoruba easily phases out the indigenous mother tongue of other ethnic groups. This is why Igbo kids inLagosschools must be nursed back to the language of their parents.
Since it came on board, the Rescue Mission administration has really done much to reverse the battered profile of Igbo language. One of the executive actions was the creation of Igbo Cultural Centers in each of the three Senatorial zones for its revival and usage by Igbos and non Igbos alike. There area also American Chapters inMaryland,HoustonandFloridacoordinated by the Special Adviser on Diaspora.
But despite these proactive measures to beef up the fortunes of a beleaguered language, none of these cultural centers has come up with policies or programmes to rescue the language. The situation is abnormal. Why must an Igbo man be the greatest enemy to himself.
The worst aspect of Igbo man’s disorientation is that the intolerable situation in far awayLagosis shamefully without remorse being perpetrated in Igbo ethnic homeland by Igbo sons and daughters. What a disservice to Igbo nation!
In kindergarten schools in Igbo land, the teaching of Igbo language is so de-emphasized that their pupils could neither write nor speak Igbo. Unbelievable as this may be, these Igbo pupils are equally in dire need of the Igbo Language Clinic being set up in parts of the country, outside Igbo ethnic homeland.
It is indeed surprising that Imo state government has done nothing over the continued ditching of Igbo language by owners of kindergarten schools whose products could neither write nor speak Igbo. The Rescue Mission administration should no longer be on the fence but warn owners of these recalcitrant schools to change course or risk their schools being closed down.
Collectively, they have done enormous damage to Igbo cultural identity at the world stage. Enough is enough!
Flooding in Irete
Dear Editor,
The scope and frequency of flooding in Irete is beyond what the tenants alone can tackle. About 99.5 of the landlords are in (different) to the sufferings of their tenants insisting that they are at liberty to relocate to other areas if they find things abnormally difficult.
One of the worst affected spots is the formerCateringSchoolclose to Orogwe. This long stretch of feeder road is at times not fordable by pedestrians because of the knee – level flood water.
It comes all the way from Afor – Irete about two or three kilometres away washing into the low areas on whichCateringSchoolis located. As a result of the flood water which stagnates for months, people now dread visiting their relations or friends who reside at theCateringSchoolarea. Tenants and few landlords have been sacrificing money and labour to make the road passable yet it has continued to deteriorate. The landlords are the architects of the problem. With no master plan for new layouts, they erected buildings anywhere and anyhow blocking the flood water channels. For now poor grading by a road contractor has worsened the situation.
Is there nothing the Owerri West Local Government can do to check the flood water? Is the Council handicapped in enforcing sanity in real estate development? Is it no longer covered by the statutory functions of Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA?
What is actually wrong?
John Okochi
Irete
Abuse of prayers
Dear editor,
My residence is close to the warehouse of casket makers alongOld Market Road. These men who work in this department of death indulge in many things except fighting at the warehouse. One of their main sources of happiness is the smoking of Indian hemp on daily basis.
But of all these, the most objectionable is their morning prayer sessions. I think they engaged one of the mobile preachers for the purpose. The main theme is God’s favour for the day. They petition God to bless and prosper the product of their hands being the only source of their daily bread.
Assuming that God grants this request and people begin to die in large numbers, is this not abuse of freedom of worship? While many people including government at various levels want and pray for low mortality rate, these casket makers implore the heavenly father to bless the work of their hands with abundance, in this case more casket sales.
On several occasions, I was tempted to disorganize the prayer sessions because no one knows who will be their next customer. I was pretty afraid to do this because these heavily-muscled young men can crush any intruder like palm kernel. I later realized that being drug addicts, they may not reason like human beings but like animals.
Ojo Ihem
Owerri
