One thing I have noticed about foreigners who migrated to the united states from LATIN/south america,FRANCE and some asian countries like china, japan and india is that they try as much as possible to instill their native culture and traditional beliefs in their kids. Most of their kids are bi-lingual. Back in undergrad school days, most of my chinese and indian friends that were born here spoke their native tongue without fear or shame. Conversely, the average nigerian parent unfortunately believes that it is not in the best interest of the child to learn their native tongue. As a matter of fact naming the "pickin" a naija name is bad for his future..OYA NA THIS BOY VICTOR O JARE...

Scene 1 (Real Story)

A well educated professor of African Literature is "allowed" by the pastor of a popular nigerian church in the disapora to speak to the members. She grabs the microphone and starts by telling the parents about a summer program (like many others) that is designed for children of africans born in the diaspora to help teach them their native language( Reading and Writing).. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH...... nobody signs up their kids. The woman leaves her contact and leaves and as soon as the woman leaves, the typical naija church gossip starts "Who does she think she is"? "My son can't learn igbo o" "My children are AMERICANISED NOW" "We are in america now o " blah blah blah blah.. and on and on.......it was depressing!

I respect the other cultures for how they espouse diversity and still are true to their roots

Jlo, ricky martin,pit bull are bilingual
You still hear italian in some parts of new york
There's a version of dutch-german in some parts of pennyslvania

The dutch learn english in addition to their own lingo

Malays speak malay, some learn chinese and then english

We are ashamed of our language and it's not only in the diaspora
Even here in the cities, some are proud of their kids not knowing their native language

pickabeau1: I respect the other cultures for how they espouse diversity and still are true to their roots

Jlo, ricky martin,pit bull are bilingual
You still hear italian in some parts of new york
There's a version of dutch-german in some parts of pennyslvania

The dutch learn english in addition to their own lingo

Malays speak malay, some learn chinese and then english

We are ashamed of our language and it's not only in the diaspora
Even here in the cities, some are proud of their kids not knowing their native language

IN THE CITIES IN NIGERIA? wow!

Its sad and rather depressing.

I was conversing with a certain lady and mentioned something in igbo that my 2 year old daughter usually says. She was quick to ask me "hmmm, so your daughter speaks ibo?"

I said of course besides,her daddy insists that all his children MUST speak igbo.

And she just said well,i don't want my children to speak igbo o.

That was the day i stopped communicating with her.


Personally,i see some of those things as acute inferiority complex. How can one not be proud of his or her language,heritage,cultural beliefs etc.....


My SIL's kids would call from UK and just go "hello aunty,how are you?"
No greeting o. Meanwhile,growing up,we were taught to greet our elders. When my hubby asked my SIL,she said that the cultures are different and that nobody greets anybody there!

Lol what is wrong with "hello Aunty how are you?" Hello is a form of greeting you know.....what has "respecting" our cultural values done for our country? Is Nigeria better than these developed countries?

You got called Aunty and you are sad? You should be lucky you got called aunty and not your first name

jennykadry: Lol what is wrong with "hello Aunty how are you?" Hello is a form of greeting you know.....what has "respecting" our cultural values done for our country? Is Nigeria better than these developed countries?

You got called Aunty and you are sad? You should be lucky you got called aunty and not your first name

Lolzzzz... anyway,i think it's because of the way we were taught to show respect!

Well, I think parents that do that are only putting their children at a big disadvantage. English is only one of the languages in the world but the present world language. Restricting a child to a language will not develop his language skills, we never can tell when that native language will be a life saver for the child in the future.

My children will not just learn my native language, they will also learn the languages spoken wherever I find myself in addition to French and German. They must be multilingual... Already laying the foundation...


Meanwhile, if any parent decides not to teach his/her child the native language, its his/her choice. Multinationals are now giving preference of employment to multilingual ahead of only English speaker.

bellong: Well, I think parents that do that are only putting their children at a big disadvantage. English is only one of the languages in the world but the present world language. Restricting a child to a language will not develop his language skills, we never can tell when that native language will be a life saver for the child in the future.

My children will not just learn my native language, they will also learn the languages spoken wherever I find myself in addition to French and German. They must be multilingual... Already laying the foundation...


Meanwhile, if any parent decides not to teach his/her child the native language, its his/her choice. Multinationals are now giving preference of employment to multilingual ahead of only English speaker.

Multi-Lingual employees actually earn more here in the US

It's just so sad especially among Igbos. Someone came to my house and was shocked my son of 1 year plus could understand Igbos nd speaks like Mba etc. He told.me dat us bad cuz eventually he will have igbo accent wen speaking english..imagine. Others say why my son couldn't speak English den was cuz he was confused which to speak lol yet he would tell u, come and bia at da same time. Am even trying to put him in French school. Language is important and it's so sad that u will see couple from da same place yet their kids can't speak

Hotstepper: It's just so sad especially among Igbos. Someone came to my house and was shocked my son of 1 year plus could understand Igbos nd speaks like Mba etc. He told.me dat us bad cuz eventually he will have igbo accent wen speaking english..imagine. Others say why my son couldn't speak English den was cuz he was confused which to speak lol yet he would tell u, come and bia at da same time. Am even trying to put him in French school. Language is important and it's so sad that u will see couple from da same place yet their kids can't speak

I agree with you. The average american born Chinese & Indian speak their native tongue. Even the lady that won miss america performed an indian routine. Unlike our so-called "pickin". They don't even give them "NAIJA NAMES"

kreami diva:

Lolzzzz... anyway,i think it's because of the way we were taught to show respect!

better don't ask our "americanized" kids to show respect. Forget the kids NA the parents go dey tell you say dem pickin be american now oooo..(MAKE YOU LEAVE THEM ALONE)Lord have mercy

How is teaching your children your native language bad/evil?

Hotstepper: It's just so sad especially among Igbos. Someone came to my house and was shocked my son of 1 year plus could understand Igbos nd speaks like Mba etc. He told.me dat us bad cuz eventually he will have igbo accent wen speaking english..imagine. Others say why my son couldn't speak English den was cuz he was confused which to speak lol yet he would tell u, come and bia at da same time. Am even trying to put him in French school. Language is important and it's so sad that u will see couple from da same place yet their kids can't speak

The bolded is very true and sad. Yorubas are proud of their language and culture. Once you see Yoruba people conversing,it must have elements of yoruba in it. Same for the Hausas.

Me i no send. That na why i dey speak my igbo dey go. Oru mgbe anyi ga asu oyibo,anyi asuo ya ofuma.(when the need arises for us to speak English,we speak it very well!)

Kream-diva, why do you write igbo with ibo??

At post, languages programed for my kids


French -fluent
English - fluent
Igbo- basic
Spanish- intermediate
This would be before their 14yrs of age.

Dutch, portugaise if they are willing to learn, send them on vocational school.

Chillisauce: Kream-diva, why do you write igbo with ibo??

At post, languages programed for my kids


French -fluent
English - fluent
Igbo- basic
Spanish- intermediate
This would be before their 14yrs of age.

Dutch, portugaise if they are willing to learn, send them on vocational school.

Lol..... na my phone dey cause am.

That trend is not good.
Hubby was born and brought up in UK with ibo but no English name yet can't speak Igbo.
What kind of nonsense it that?
As for me, I dey blow d thing jare!
When its time for funne, will switch over.
He is just learning now.madness

though am in 9ja,i can't speak igbo,and am from interethnic marriage.

Well i wouldn't go laying blames on the parents, because no matter how hard you try to make your kids speak/understand their native language, it might not stay. Speaking from my experience, i am Ibo and have 3 siblings, a boy and two girls making four kids. All born and started our early days in the north, moved to lagos when we were almost done with primary education, had both secondary, university and NYSC in the western region yet none of us speak Ibo, Yoruba or Hausa. it sucks really no matter how we all tried to learn, it just wouldn't stay. my parents gave up on all of us a long time. Maybe languages ain't our thing or really i don't know the problem. It breaks my heart when people blame them for not teaching us properly. They did their best but we all turned out this way.

I'm proud when I see children speak both English and native languages fluently. I can't be proud if my children can't speak my dialect. I believe the responsibility lies with the parents. Your children will only learn the language you train them with. Even when they are not yet conscious of their environment, when they appear they don't understand what you are saying(from childbirth), start speaking your dialect with them. Most parents want their children to communicate effectively in English but make sure you mix your dialect when communicating with them. By the time they are 5years, you see them responding with both languages. Just make sure the use of both languages is balanced. Don't use one for too long at the expense of the other.

It's good to speak ur own mother tongue fluently, then any other should be secondly... I pity some people like......make I no call names. Wey no fit make single correct sentence in their dialect

i dönt av any child now but my children must understand my native language which is esan

My children will definitely speak my native language whether dem like am or not.

i dont think anyone will ever come up and say yes i am proud

I speak Igbo to my children, they understand both Igbo and English. One day my daughter fell, and told herself "idaa" which means "you've fallen" in Igbo. A Nigerian lady was there, she started laughing and said my child was a bush girl, That she's happy her children can't say a word of their language. That she wants them to be proper Brits. Talk of inferiority complex. No need to say I was quite disappointed.

May be if we do away with all these Nigerian languages, Nigerians would learn to vote for credible candidates and not someone who speaks his language.

PS: I don't speak my parents language because i haven't found any use for it. When i find a compelling reason, i'd learn it.

I don't speak any Nigerian dialect. I didn't grow up with my parents and I'm from different tribes, I don't speak pidgin either. I'm not proud of it nor am I ashamed of it. It doesn't change the fact that I'm Nigerian, black, happy and so on. I do speak other 'European languages' because well... that's where I've always been. I call my Aunt by her name, I call my father by his name (we really did NOT grow up together), I am respectful, I have a good job and I pay my bills. I mean, I'm as normal as you guys are.

freecocoa: My children will definitely speak my native language whether dem like am or not.

Howdy maam

peziz: Well i wouldn't go laying blames on the parents, because no matter how hard you try to make your kids speak/understand their native language, it might not stay. Speaking from my experience, i am Ibo and have 3 siblings, a boy and two girls making four kids. All born and started our early days in the north, moved to lagos when we were almost done with primary education, had both secondary, university and NYSC in the western region yet none of us speak Ibo, Yoruba or Hausa. it sucks really no matter how we all tried to learn, it just wouldn't stay. my parents gave up on all of us a long time. Maybe languages ain't our thing or really i don't know the problem. It's just breaks my heart when people lay blames on them for not teaching us properly. They did their best but we all turned out this way.

eh yaah, pele