cantell:

The mumu don leave the bad roads wey im suppose repair na money im dey share.
Who talk say Igbo language no dey alive?

I have looked around and discovered that you are the only MumU on this thread . . . . . Why? It is really a pity.

ChinenyeN:

I'm curious about how they plan on applying this to the diaspora though. . .

The 'diaspora', for the most part, is lost, they don't even count because they (the children of those who left Nigeria) are not coming back or going to contribute to their homelands for any foreseeable time, especially the "Nigerian" Americans. American culture is a very strong concoction, Chinese people who are the best culture keepers are struggling to uphold their language in America, let alone careless Africans.

---

This dilemma only concerns the "middle class" Nigerians, there are hardly any people from this 'social group' in their 50's and younger who can speak fluent Igbo. As far as I know people in the village and towns (who make up the majority of Igbo people) and cities like Onicha, Umuahia, Aba, Abakaleke and co. are not facing the same dilemma, Igbo people should start worrying when these people start getting rich, because it's them keeping the language alive, . . . . .

There is a reason why most thriving languages usually are a lingua franca/official language of a country. . . . . .

My thoughts exactly, Ezeagu. Which only makes me wonder why they made this statement. . . "The governor also, during the ceremony,  signed into law, a Bill to Enforce the Speaking and Writing of Igbo and Widespread Usage of Igbo Language among Ndigbo in Anambra and Diaspora."

I just cannot seem to fathom how they could possibly apply such a bill to those in diaspora.

Daily Independent (Lagos)
Nigeria: Igbo Language Law Debuts in Anambra

Chukwujekwu Ilozue 7 June 2010

     
Onitsha — Principals of secondary schools in Anambra State who promote pupils from Junior Secondary School III (JSS III) to Senior Secondary School I (SSS I) without the pupils passing Igbo language are to be removed from their positions and fined N5,000, for each of the pupils so promoted.


Also, any state or privately owned tertiary institution in the state which is found not to have established an Igbo language department or made Igbo language a mandatory general studies course by September, 2011 shall pay a fine of N100,000 for every month in which the offence continues.

These are some of the punishments prescribed by the newly enacted law, which is cited as Igbo Language Enforcement Law, 2010, which came into force on May 11, 2010.

It would be recalled that Governor Peter Obi signed the Bill into Law on the day he launched Suwakwa Igbo (speak Igbo) designed to enhance wide usage of Igbo language to save it from extinction.


At the public signing of the Bill into Law Obi also announced the stoppage of corporal punishment to students who speak Igbo in schools in the state and announced that Igbo Language would henceforth be compulsory in all the categories of educational institution in the state just as English and Mathematics are.


Among other things, the law prescribes that Igbo language as a subject must be passed by an Igbo student before he can be promoted from JSS III to SSS I in all secondary schools in the state; every state or privately owned tertiary institution in the state must establish an Independent department of Igbo language a mandatory general studies course in the institution and that any state or privately owned tertiary institution within the state and which is found not to have established an Igbo language department, or made Igbo language a mandatory general studies course in accordance with the provisions of the relevant sections by September, shall be liable to a fine of N100,000 for every month in which the offence continues.

Also, a head of the relevant department who finds a staff of that department dressed in Western attire in contravention of the provisions of a particular section of the law shall send that staff home to change into an Igbo traditional attire.


Also, from the commencement of the law, every Wednesday in every week shall be observed as Igbo day. That means that every staff of the state public service shall dress in Igbo traditional attire and all businesses and transactions in all offices and departments of the public service, including proceedings in the legislative chamber shall be conducted in the language.

However, the law excludes some professional bodies like judicial officers and nurses which are bound by the law.

The explanatory note of the law states that it is meant to ensure and enforce such level of fluency and vibrancy in the usage of Igbo language as befits its status as one of the three officially recognized indigenous languages of Nigeria pursuant to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 such that the language will once more be proudly spoken and written by Ndigbo in Nigeria and the Diaspora, and used for broadcasts in reputable international media.

Recently, Governor Obi also promised to build Chief Chiedozie Ogbalu Igbo Language School that will cost the government N50.5 million for specialized and holiday programmes in Igbo.

^^^

The news is getting sweeter everyday.

006,
Nwunne obughi so gi ka ihea n'aso uso.

Ezeagu,
U paint a bleak picture that is not entirely true.

udezue:

Ezeagu,
U paint a bleak picture that is not entirely true.

Still realistic, though.