CC:
MbaanabaraAgu
bigfrancis21

OP, YOU FAIL TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND A REDEMPTION STRATEGY, BUT AT LEAST ITS A GOOD WAY TO START!

[b]Igbo Language (and all other Nigerian Language for that matter) will go on extinct and English will fully emerge and superceeds all, although the 50 years UNESCO prediction is shorter, but they definitely will go on extinction. Its definite and its absolute, unless a revival process begins. Nigerian languages are going through the phase many languages which had gone into extinction went through (e.g native american languages).

The root cause is simply because English is the official language of the country. How can you expect someone to reach a level of linguistic fluency when he does not study, speak, write and make use of this language in his life? Studying in a particular language stretches your vocabulary, grammatical and subconciously attach your brain to the language, you think in this language, you read in this language, listen to music in this language and do virtually everything academically, professionally and socially with the language. In Nigeria, English is in this position hence, it should not be surprising why young people do not know how to speak Igbo fluently. Literatures and poem are not widespread everywhere in igbo (or others), even your Wole Soyinka won a noble price in English, Jonathan address the country in English etc. I can go on and on, but I hope you get the point now.


Take Ireland for example. Irish began to decline after the Brits found it less desirable and a threat to English during the 19th century, and if you look at the modern Ireland, you will realise that a tiny percent (usually old people) of the society speak Irish and Irish has been clasified as a language that will face extinction anytime soon if the older folks pass away.

Another example is the Dutch language. Dutch can never go on extinction in Netherlands (even though about 90% of dutch people speaks English fluently) simply because it is the official language in the country. Children study and do practically everything in the country with dutch (be it professionally, socially, academically, humour etc ), a process with will immerse them deeply in the language. They cry at home and express different kind of emotions and speech in this language, and only come in contact with English and other languages with foreigners, learn English using dutch as the medium of instruction, foreign movies and stuff, but the plectrum of survival is Dutch, which is the opposite case in Nigeria.

So tell me, why blame them for not knowing how to speak it fluently? problems like this is happening even in India too, they are passing through the same problem and is simply because another language is placed higher than native language socially so its normal for people to adjust to it to feel posh and accepted, especially in the professional level.

The Hausa that speak Hausa are usually the ''fresh out of the both'' from the north, a typical Hausa guy born and brought up in Oshodi will most likely be the same like others, its just so simple to undertstand. Our parents all speak their language fluently simply because the reality on ground now is different from what was in place in their own time.

If Native language did not take the place of English in the society, expect it to go on extinction, it will only take time, but it will. This I can assure you. What the OP mentioned are just the symptoms of the upcoming extinction.
[/b]

fairprince:
Good one. But next time pls note that akpa ego is not generally N200 in all Igboland. It is actually N200 where I came from. Igbo Izugbe would rather u said " nari naira abuo".
But this is a thoughtful piece. I melaa.

Akpa Ego is generally #200 in Igbo land,but it is actually the old way of counting in the Igbo language,which as you pointed out has been generally superseded by nari naira abuo,but is still a relevant way of counting money,for those that are proficient in using it..

SalC:
Gini?

Wepu gini?

Aka enwe banye n'ofe ata ya. Ogho o aka mmadu, atapia ya

nwanne m ihe a idere togburum na ochi

The op and I were thinking the same thing when I wrote my last blog post. www.misterhakeem./2015/03/03/my-hausa-love/

Although I am Yoruba, I can attest to the fact that Igbos outside the SE are somewhat ashamed to speak the language and is disheartening. Maybe 7-8 years in Lagos, I took a bike and when I came down I asked the bike man to wait for me to get him change, but I spoke it in Yoruba, totally forgetting myself (I was supposed to speak pidgin, but Yoruba was the first language that came to my head), if you see this how this man berated me? It was as if I committed a crime. His exact words were "How would a fine girl like you be speaking Yoruba? ". I was so embarrassed cos he was shouting. Why should I be ashamed to speak my language?

Another case is about some of my friends, siblings. They were born and bred in the SE but feel so uncomfortable speaking Igbo to themselves. I asked the eldest why she doesn't speak Igbo to her siblings and she told me its weird for them to speak Igbo with each other. I was like, what She even asked me what kind of language I speak ro my boyfriend? I replied, Yoruba. Cos we both are Yorubas who understand Yoruba so why should I speak English to him?

I had to beg one of them who is married to a Delta man to Please teach the children Igbo and not restrict them to one language (English) only. It's inevitable that they will speak English cos they live where everyone speaks English therefore they are gonna speak fluent English anyways. Na so children dey take lost for here if you don't give them an Identity via the Language. I have met several people who will gladly tell you, My Dad/Parents are Nigerians but I am American. Like WTF? Some Yorubas are guilty of this too. My Uncle's children that were born in Ibadan barely speak Yoruba and their father will gladly tell you that. For what? I feel weird speaking English with my parents. Really weird.

pwerrymansion:
nwanne m ihe a idere togburum na ochi

Nwannem chikwa ochi o

@Op. I wonder which part of Nigeria you stay in. In the East here, Igbo language is alive and strong..... people here will see as mad person if you ever tell them their cherished Igbo language will be extinct in 50 yrs time.

Even in universities here, Igbo language is used in classes that even non-Igbos complain about.

Igbo language is our only lingua franca in the East and there is no way it can ever go extinct.

Wulfruna:
This 50 years prediction is funny sha. UNESCO underestimates the use of Igbo language in backwater villages. The language is endangered, granted, but it is not dying out that soon.

Igbo language will be here, in the next 200 yrs and beyond. "No shaking". Young Igbos speak English as part of their swag and etc, but once most of them reach the age of reason ( around 40 yrs of age ), the same people will resort in always wearing their red caps & taking ozo titles left right and center. Engage him in any conversation in Igbo language, and you will find out how mastery of Igbo proverbs and the language itself he posses. A language of laughter, love and deep cultural attributes that have translated itself into other languages through literature and movies can never become extinct.

[b]The Flower Of Carnage
Begrieving snow falls in the dead morning
Stray dog's howls and the footsteops of Geta pierce the air
I walk with the weight of the Milky Way on my shoulders
But an umbrella that holds onto the darkness is all there is.
I'm a woman who walks at the brink of life and death
Who's emptied my tears many moons ago.
All the compassion tears and dreams
The snowy nights and tomorrow hold no meaning
I've immersed my body in the river of venegance
And thrown away my womanhood many moons ago
On the behalf of heaven, they're our soldiers, the loyal, invincible and brave.
Now it's time for them to leave the country of their
Parents their hearts buoyed by encouraging voices.
They are solemnly resolved not to return alive, without victory.
Here at home, the citizens wait for you.
In foreign lands, the brave troops
Instead of kindness from someone
I do not care about
I rather prefer selifshness from you my beloved.
Oh, is the world a dream or an illusion?
I am all alone in jail[/b]

MbaanabaraAgu:


I wish I could agree with you but all you wrote used to be obtainable in the past and does not represent current realities on ground. Remember i said i have been researching on this for the past 5 years, I didnt just wake up and start writing. My primary research has taking me to all the nooks and crannies of the land, so believe me when I said the language is noise diving. You think UNESCO is talking nonsense as well? You think a body like UNESCO will not verify on the facts before making such declarations? Like i said, just do some little research yourself using your close Igbo friends as a case study, maybe you will understand. Why didnt you comment on the DSTV issue, or does it not matter to you?

has UNESCO bin to my village?

Omu nwannem, unu ekwugho ofuma, otutu ezi ukwo di na ihe unu dere. O toro oto nke ukwu mana achorom ka una ma na ihe mere ndi di ka unu bido udi okwu a onwero ote igbo anyi ga esi nwuo.

I grew up in Lagos and in my house my strict father God bless his soul made a rule "you must reply me in the language I spoke to you in " it was largely effective, coupled with the influx of our cousins from home into our house, their was no way we wouldn't learn igbo, but my igbo took a beating in secondary school, where native languages was considered vernacular and a negative connotation was placed on native languages.
I tried to go to mahadum in the east but it didn't work out, but I made sure I got IT placement in the east and I made sure I spoke Igbo any chance I got, even though I was laughed at for not getting a few things correctly I persevered and was rewarded, it was a thing of joy.
We need now to look for lasting solutions to this problem, a solution that was proposed to me by a lecturer of mine was establishing formal schools that teach in Igbo, this is the reason most european countries havnt lost their languages because it has been given priority.
Another thing is Igbo speaking wasn't considered cool, I don't know why but I have heard that a lot from igbo people in Lagos, but phyno, ruff coin and some other musicians are making it cool and I see it bringing igbo speakers who share the love for their music together, personally I have approached people listening to Igbo rap and I always speak to them in Igbo and they usually reply, also I was at a party in Calabar and Phyno's song came on and he opened the song with a phrase "anyi na nwu champagne ha ka na nwu panadol " everyone in the party chorused it, this showed the huge role mass media has to play in making our languages strong.
I also think we should establish an Igbo social network to unite Igbo's worldwide and bring up issues such as this.

I have mad love for the creator of this thread. I can already see people downplaying the truth in the OP's assertion. Forget about UNESCO 50 years projection and let's tell ourselves the truth. We can't deny that the relevance of Igbo language keep waning daily. How you know that a language is relevant is if the educated folks speak the language whenever they meet. Rarely do i see two educated Igbo folks speaking Igbo to each other. It's not just about knowing how to speak but actually speaking it. If you're not speaking Igbo now, it means your children may not even know which tribe they're from talk more of speaking the language. Whenever i bring uo this issue of people not speaking Igbo, some Igbos see me as a tribalist. What is tribalistic about speaking you own language. I don't what sort of humans emanated from the east. That's why i don't move with Igbos anymore. I'm currently in Mauritius where Hausa language is the defacto language of hausa people here. they speak it in the morning, afternoon and night. If you're Hausa and you can't speak the language you will be killed by firing squad. If you can speak but don't speak, your toe will be cut off. That's how important it is to them. But for Igbos, it's when you can't spak your language that you're hailed as educated. Speaking cut and join English with their tick Igbotic accent feeling funky. Tufiakwa unu.

MbaanabaraAgu:


Nwanne e ji m bekee de ya maka na o bughi ndi Igbo nile na a ghota ihe e dere na asusu igbo. Isu Igbo di iche na i gu edemede igbo. Udo diri gi.

ya di kwaragi

want to share a particular story with you guys!
There is this my guy( a yoruba) and this Igbo chick of his. The guy introduced her to us (myself and igbo brothers). Tried holding conversation with her in igbo, The chick come they form, she go dey speak the Igbo one kind, they form 2 us say she no sabi speak, say she dey learn. We were all in a birthday party and there was this side chick of that my guy also in attendance. my guy was sharing his attention with both but giving preference to the Igbo sister. as the party went on, my guy don shayo, His side chick was more lively, dancing, twerking and twisting. na so my Guy follow her up. after a while my Igbo sister became uncomfortable, she begin find someone to confide in. na so de girl call me 2 a corner and spoke to me in Igbo!
she was fluent! na so my eye open
she come dey ask me wetin connect my guy and him side chick!
I no speak igbo again give am o! i begin blow grammar! i let am say I know know
make she carry out her investigation, no use language involve me!
Imagine!
she come they tell me in igbo how the guy propose 2 her a day or 2 ago.......wetin concern me?
lost my respect 4 her!
how can one claiming she cant communicate in her native language make her more "sellable" is what I cant comprehend!
na the peak of Inferiority complex and a critical case of a lost personal identity!

I live in lagos, I so miss my language I dont hesitate to speak it whenever I can. Wherever I have been, it didn take people long to find out am Igbo and I am proud of who I am! on the other hand, if there is actually a special tribe in naija; is the Igbos! no be today na.... the wise men they always come from [b][/b]east!

Umu igbo ibem, Ekene m unu o! Ogadiri anyi mma! Iseeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! na anochite nu anya anyi nke oma ebe o bula onye no! Igbo bu Ezi Mba! Igbo amaka!

bigfrancis21:

Observe more objectively, Igbo language is, on the contrary, very much alive. Maybe you need to observe languages like Bini, Esan, Etsako, Urhobo, Ogoni etc. and then you understand the actual situation of an endangered language.

You know this. A case where even adults can't speak the language .

The Igbo language is not dying anytime soon so the OP need not fret. A century will pass and Igbo will still be here. Wish I could boldly say same for the languages highlighted above.

@ OP, please what is chameleon in igbo?

igbos are the most foolish and proud tribe in nigeria, we are very poor yet makes the greatest noise, white men first came to hausa land, and then to the yoruba's we met the white men like 100years after the yoruba's, but we dey behave like say na only us see the white men, our inferiority complex and pride makes us to see our language as second class, because we are second class, and igbo women are the most stupid,inferior and proud set of people, they now almost speak english through out to their kids, they see igbo language as a let down and too local to speak, pride and stupidity is the worse disease any one can suffer from, and igbos suffer mostly from this disease...

Iluv:
@ OP, please what is chameleon in igbo?

ogwumagala

MsNas:
Although I am Yoruba, I can attest to the fact that Igbos outside the SE are somewhat ashamed to speak the language and is disheartening. Maybe 7-8 years in Lagos, I took a bike and when I came down I asked the bike man to wait for me to get him change, but I spoke it in Yoruba, totally forgetting myself (I was supposed to speak pidgin, but Yoruba was the first language that came to my head), if you see this how this man berated me? It was as if I committed a crime. His exact words were "How would a fine girl like you be speaking Yoruba? ". I was so embarrassed cos he was shouting. Why should I be ashamed to speak my language?

He was testing his toasting skills, okada men sha

Nwanne woke imela , am Igbo but i feel ashame that i can not write Igbo very well but i can speak it by mixing it with English .....thanks for this info and direction ........Udo

Igbo muru nze mu ozo biko ka anyi gbakota aka onu me ka asusu Igbo hara ila na nkiti.

this really pains me when I speak Igbo to some of my course mates or enjoy musics from Osadebe, Oliver de Coque of blessed memory, morocco, Bright Chimezie, Oriental, Chijioke Mbanefo and co they term me Igbotic and local. But I no send, am still better than them on GPA

bigfrancis21:
You made a true observation. I have researched and devoted time to this issue in the past and believe me, Igbo language is no way dying. When you go to the east, Igbo language is still very strong and it still baffles me where UNESCO got their 50 year extinction period forecast from. In the next 50 years, the millions of Igbo-speaking children in SE, SS and outside Igboland would be in their 50s and still speaking the language, where then does the 50-year forecast come from? A language is said to be extinct if there are no native speakers of the language even if it has 2nd-language speakers i.e. Latin Language has no native speakers but is spoken liturgically in masses in Catholic churches.

Now, majority of non speakers happen to be those born and raised outside Igboland but I have noticed that most of these people pick up the language as they become adults, and this explains why it is rare to find an Igbo adult who doesn't know how to speak Igbo. I know and have seen many non-speakers as children/teenagers who are fluent speakers today as adults. One notable experience is my UNN experience. Every year, UNN admits a fair share of Lagos-brought up JAMB candidates of Igbo origin who understand but speak a little Igbo. These are people their parents send to the east for university experience to be able to pick up the language. I had many as friends and classmates in my first year and by their 3rd/final years, most of them were speaking Igbo. I would express shock when they spoke fluent Igbo and they would laugh it off. I, myself, am equally an example too. I spoke English as a child but picked up Igbo in my university days and today speak fluent Onitsha, one would even think I grew up in the village. In Igboland, you might be excused for being unable to speak Igbo as a child but Igbo culture and assimilation in Nigeria doesn't permit that for an adult, except you're based overseas.

This is one aspect about the Igbo people that I would like to see us correct - the language part. There are parents who make efforts to ensure that their children speak the language, notably, parents living abroad. Visit youtube and you'll see videos by Igbo parents on their kids living abroad speaking Igbo. The language is still very much alive, especially if you take a tour in Igbo speaking areas of SE and SS. There will always be Igbo language speakers, with the non-speaking children making up the majority of 5% non-speaking population, a figure that reduces as those children grow up to be Igbo-speaking adults.

As for the Edo lady comment, I did my secondary school in the east (Owerri) and I remember at least 10 non-Igbo classmates (4 Edo, 5 Akwa Ibom and 1 Yoruba) from my secondary school who speak Igbo very well, more than me at that time. And they all did Igbo in WAEC in SS3. Some foreigners come to Igboland and learn the language (especially Hausa, Edo and Akwa Ibom with Yoruba showing the least interest) and some don't. In the reverse, Igbos born and raised in the east who go to the north or west to study barely learn the dominant language there.

As for the 'akpa ego' comment you mentioned, one thing you should know is a living language is one that adopts new words and drops obsolete ones. 'Akpa ego' is becoming an obsolete word (only used in villages) for N200 and 'Nari Abuo' being the modern Igbo word for N200. A language which does not adjust its vocabulary with time is a dead language. The same happens in English, French, Spanish e.t.c. There are several old English words such as 'thou', 'art', 'thy', 'wench' etc. which are no longer in use today which when you speak to a modern English speaker they would look at you lost in confusion. Take for example, walk up to any English speaker today and say, 'o ye eorþbuend, where art thou wench?' and they would look at you like you are speaking a foreign language, yet the same sentence was perfectly understood 200 years ago. The only recognizable English word by today's standards in that sentence is 'where'. In the same vein, Igbo language is dropping some old forms and adopting new forms. A few of such old forms no longer in common usage today are 'mgba' (woman as in mgba eke, mgba afor), 'Uru' (as in Uruagu, Urukpaleke), 'ifite'/'ihite' etc.

No pun intended, but I would want to draw out a trend among the Jews today. Jews are known travellers and well-scattered all over the world today, with a population of 14 million however, only about 5 million speak the language as native language with majority of the speakers in Israel and with about an extra 2 million second-language speakers living in Israel. Majority of American Jews, British Jews, e.t.c hardly speak Hebrew but English yet Hebrew language isn't considered to be going extinct.

So next time, before you think of opening another thread like this or letting the issue consume much of your thinking, always remember that the non-speaking trend by foreign-born Igbo children barely continues till adulthood. In that sense, the language is still very much safe.

My brother thank you for this. In 50 yrs time, most of us on this tread now will still be living, millions of children in igboland today that don't know come will still be leaving. So how will the language go extinct.
The entire igbo land speaks igbo on daily bases, Every state in south east speak igbo as language of daily communication In markets, schools, streets, every were.
More than 80% of igbos live in igbo land within ss and se nigeria and speaks igbo on daily bases.
Igbo will never go extinct.





You people can believe what ever the white man tells them thats bussiness,

Op, you're so on point. I'm a typical example as I can't speak my language fluently. I'm really disturbed and ashamed. I'm glad I married a woman that can speak igbo,
but we do communicate in English. Now, I'm worried about my son.

bigfrancis21:
You made a true observation. I have researched and devoted time to this issue in the past and believe me, Igbo language is no way dying. When you go to the east, Igbo language is still very strong and it still baffles me where UNESCO got their 50 year extinction period forecast from. In the next 50 years, the millions of Igbo-speaking children in SE, SS and outside Igboland would be in their 50s and still speaking the language, where then does the 50-year forecast come from? A language is said to be extinct if there are no native speakers of the language even if it has 2nd-language speakers i.e. Latin Language has no native speakers but is spoken liturgically in masses in Catholic churches.

Now, majority of non speakers happen to be those born and raised outside Igboland but I have noticed that most of these people pick up the language as they become adults, and this explains why it is rare to find an Igbo adult who doesn't know how to speak Igbo. I know and have seen many non-speakers as children/teenagers who are fluent speakers today as adults. One notable experience is my UNN experience. Every year, UNN admits a fair share of Lagos-brought up JAMB candidates of Igbo origin who understand but speak a little Igbo. These are people their parents send to the east for university experience to be able to pick up the language. I had many as friends and classmates in my first year and by their 3rd/final years, most of them were speaking Igbo. I would express shock when they spoke fluent Igbo and they would laugh it off. I, myself, am equally an example too. I spoke English as a child but picked up Igbo in my university days and today speak fluent Onitsha, one would even think I grew up in the village. In Igboland, you might be excused for being unable to speak Igbo as a child but Igbo culture and assimilation in Nigeria doesn't permit that for an adult, except you're based overseas.

This is one aspect about the Igbo people that I would like to see us correct - the language part. There are parents who make efforts to ensure that their children speak the language, notably, parents living abroad. Visit youtube and you'll see videos by Igbo parents on their kids living abroad speaking Igbo. The language is still very much alive, especially if you take a tour in Igbo speaking areas of SE and SS. There will always be Igbo language speakers, with the non-speaking children making up the majority of 5% non-speaking population, a figure that reduces as those children grow up to be Igbo-speaking adults.

As for the Edo lady comment, I did my secondary school in the east (Owerri) and I remember at least 10 non-Igbo classmates (4 Edo, 5 Akwa Ibom and 1 Yoruba) from my secondary school who speak Igbo very well, more than me at that time. And they all did Igbo in WAEC in SS3. Some foreigners come to Igboland and learn the language (especially Hausa, Edo and Akwa Ibom with Yoruba showing the least interest) and some don't. In the reverse, Igbos born and raised in the east who go to the north or west to study barely learn the dominant language there.

As for the 'akpa ego' comment you mentioned, one thing you should know is a living language is one that adopts new words and drops obsolete ones. 'Akpa ego' is becoming an obsolete word (only used in villages) for N200 and 'Nari Abuo' being the modern Igbo word for N200. A language which does not adjust its vocabulary with time is a dead language. The same happens in English, French, Spanish e.t.c. There are several old English words such as 'thou', 'art', 'thy', 'wench' etc. which are no longer in use today which when you speak to a modern English speaker they would look at you lost in confusion. Take for example, walk up to any English speaker today and say, 'o ye eorþbuend, where art thou wench?' and they would look at you like you are speaking a foreign language, yet the same sentence was perfectly understood 200 years ago. The only recognizable English word by today's standards in that sentence is 'where'. In the same vein, Igbo language is dropping some old forms and adopting new forms. A few of such old forms no longer in common usage today are 'mgba' (woman as in mgba eke, mgba afor), 'Uru' (as in Uruagu, Urukpaleke), 'ifite'/'ihite' etc.

No pun intended, but I would want to draw out a trend among the Jews today. Jews are known travellers and well-scattered all over the world today, with a population of 14 million however, only about 5 million speak the language as native language with majority of the speakers in Israel and with about an extra 2 million second-language speakers living in Israel. Majority of American Jews, British Jews, e.t.c hardly speak Hebrew but English yet Hebrew language isn't considered to be going extinct.

So next time, before you think of opening another thread like this or letting the issue consume much of your thinking, always remember that the non-speaking trend by foreign-born Igbo children barely continues till adulthood. In that sense, the language is still very much safe.

Igbolu ihe ewu n'eli , Ka Olisa bi n'igwe chekwaba gi bu ekpere mu na ekpere gi , IGBO EKENE KWAA MU UNU N'ILE , CHUKWU GOZIE UMU AFO IGBO N'ILE NO NA Nairaland .

Op definitely is not travelled as he claimed. Only someone who didn't stay in the east will say the language is dying. Go to all major markets in Lagos, what they speak there is Igbo. From Ladipo to Mandillas to Berger tokumbo car market. Even here in Ikirun Osun state where I am serving, Igbos speak their language proudly. The truth is that the UNESCO prediction is best a phantom. My principal and V.P also speak because they did their university education in UNN in 1992. So what's the fuss about?. Even in the various universities in the East, each faculty has an Igwe and they use it to promote the language and the culture.

OP hit the nail on the head.
No ibo family raise their children in ibo language nowadays. Its really hurtful. 50years is even too much. If nothing is done to salvage the situation, our language will go extinct.
This is one of the reasons why I rep Phyno and Ada Mbano

@ op nba ana abara agu ? Ina anu ihie ? Lol love the nick name ! Agu ana abara mba ona ata chewing gum . By the way please what's gum in Igbo ?

PerfectlyPerfect:
OP hit the nail on the head.
No ibo family raise their children in ibo language nowadays. Its really hurtful. 50years is even too much. If nothing is done to salvage the situation, our language will go extinct.
This is one of the reasons why I rep Phyno and Ada Mbano

and flavour . I miss Oliver ,osadebe, nwa nsugbe and co . Going to spotify to find their music . Going to blast it all night, sorry neighbors it's Igbo music nite.

iiiyyyk:


My brother thank you for this. In 50 yrs time, most of us on this tread now will still be living, millions of children in igboland today that don't know come will still be leaving. So how will the language go extinct.
The entire igbo land speaks igbo on daily bases, Every state in south east speak igbo as language of daily communication In markets, schools, streets, every were.
More than 80% of igbos live in igbo land within ss and se nigeria and speaks igbo on daily bases.
Igbo will never go extinct.





You people can believe what ever the white man tells them thats bussiness,

One can't even find the so-called UNESCO projection on the internet. I have researched for it severally and did not see it on the internet. One begins to wonder where the so-called projection came from.

Wulfruna:
This 50 years prediction is funny sha. UNESCO underestimates the use of Igbo language in backwater villages. The language is endangered, granted, but it is not dying out that soon.

Igbo language is not even sick not to talk of dying soon.

Anyone who doubts this should go to Igboland and verify.