The Progressives Leaders Association (PILA), an organization sponsoring an Igbo Language School in the U.S., says a similar school has been opened in South Africa.

Mr Chima Umealo, Coordinator of PILA in South Africa, said at a dinner in Johannesburg on Sunday that 16 children had started lesson in the school.

He said the group’s aim was to secure the Igbo language and ensure it would not be extinct.

“Pila’s aim is to secure the Igbo language because UNESCO had predicted that the language was among those that will go out of fashion in no distant time.

“ We decided to come out with a programme to secure our language because a people without a language are no people,” he said.

Umealo, also the President, Abia Union, South Africa, said one way of sustaining Igbo culture was to secure the language.

“We therefore, resolved to establish an Igbo school in South Africa to affiliate with the one in the U.S to promote our culture and language,” he said.

The coordinator said children born in South Africa, who are not opportune to communicate with others when they go home would be taught the language
He said that the children were taught during vacation, while arrangements had been concluded to teach them at weekends during school session.

“As time goes on, we will teach them mathematics and science in Igbo to make them put to practice what they do daily in school and at home,” Umealo said.

The traditional head of Abia indigenes in South Africa, Eze Sidney Ihediwa, said the establishment of the school was a step in the right direction.

“ It is important because we should ensure that our heritage and culture does not go into extinction,” he said.

The traditional ruler said that some children born abroad were losing touch with their language, noting that such schools would assist them to preserve their culture.

The chairman of Ikwuano/Umuahia Community in South Africa, Chief Ikechi Otuonye, said the school would make children to speak their native language while abroad.

“Even when they travel to other countries, they can communicate in the language with other brethren there,” he said.

SOURCE: http://www.naaija.com/2017/07/igbo-language-school-inaugurated-south-africa/

Astonish

Igbo kwenu!!

the best

Nice1

I just love the fact that I'm Igbo......Lord is good

I just love the fact that I'm Igbo......Lord is good.

Igbos will soon hijack this thread like kilode.


nice one there mehn.
Igbo language seems like it gonna go into extinction.

That's good

First goodnews for Igbos since_biafraud war

Ok

I likey.

Igbo ndi nji eme onu mma mma noooo!!!!

Chukwu okike gozie unu ooo!!!!

Igbo Language going into extinction? A very commendable effort by the organization then.

Now that is something we should be doing... Self awareness... Self dependent...

Igbo amaka.

Kai, it's an ipob website oo, dis people can lie, nothing like dat oo, i just called my uncle at South Africa he said ipob are lying, that they just came for sight seeing

The cause is divinely being sustained little by little, in case it happens soon... I will collect a Biafran passport.

Is today Igbo day ni?

Kudos to them!

The developer want to settle down and colonize that territory!
They'll soon start claiming equal rights

Ok.that's all

Interesting

Igbo Amaka, if you see me kpoonu mu onye Igbo, Maka n'abu m onye Igbo.................Igbo Amaka...

We are just too ubiquitous.The first tribe in Nigeria.

The person above me is an uneducated illiterate who has no single atom of knowledge on comprehension.

Back to topic, my Igbo brethren are always representing.

Igbo Amaka!!

No more Igbo now

A giant stride.

cool

Igbos are indeed doing very well; developing systems and linking the region with the rest of the world