Veteran journalist urges families to speak local dialects to their wards »

Families have been urged to intensify efforts in speaking their indigenous languages in their homes to prevent it from going into possible extinction.

The Managing Director, De-KGP and Producer/Presenter of EBIGO Programmes on Clear View TV Network on Nigcomsat free to air decoder, Mrs Nwogu Avoyi-Ozi made the call at the 2nd edition of Ebira Quiz and Debate Competition in Government House Lokoja.

Mrs Nwogu said to ward off possible extinction of indigenous languages and the instillment of the Nigerian culture in the younger generation all hands must be on deck to encourage them.

“Last year when we started, some asked why not the normal spelling bee? I replied, my aim is to be among those who will be mentioned to have helped instilled passion in our younger ones to speak our local dialect.”

“You will agree with me that our children have fast adopted the western culture and our God given languages and culture are gradually fading and drastic steps must be taken to keep them alive, hence my decision to attach cash awards to encourage young people between the ages of 15 and 25 to embrace speaking and be proud of their dialects.

“Personally, I would typically say ‘cup’ for “Ako’o in Ebira, but have caught my conscious thoughts quite a number of times, saying “cup’ in English.

“This negligence has its negative effect on our children. The Great Britain you all know presently is struggling to keep their local dialects alive. History has it that hundreds of various languages were recorded to be their mother tongues until the decision makers made English as their first language, and now they have suddenly discovered they have only five left out of the so many.

“Our case shouldn’t be the same, because dialect is our Identity and it is therefore our responsibility to protect it.”

She also made known her plans of combining the three major ethnic groups in the third edition which will hold next year to cover the interest of the people.

This year’s edition which is the second, had ranges of winning from a cash price of hundred thousand Naira N100,000, to 70, 000 and N50, 000 amongst other prices.

“Statistics reveals that over 60% population of Ebira are already loosing their language, how was this discovered? When many of our people fill forms and of course with a space provided for you to fix languages you speak, majority will state English, forgetting that your mother tongue is first before any other,” she elucidated.