By Peter Anosike


There is currently an air of excitement about Namibia among the Nigerians living in this South African country. Nigerian citizens are happy to have realized the dream of protecting an important aspect of their culture while away from home by teaching their children Nigerian languages.

This was made possible by the efforts of the leaders of the Association of Nigerians in Namibia (ANINAM), supported by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Namibia, Ambassador Lilian Onoh, in organizing language classes for their children in three main Nigerian languages.

An apparently excited Ambassador Onoh said that as Nigeria’s chief representative in Namibia, she is so proud to represent the group of citizens in Namibia.
Her words: In this year 2020, with so many challenges, ANINAM was able to organize and start our children in Namibia our own indigenous languages.

Parents volunteered, they clean the building, provide materials and the incredible turnout has meant that we now have to expand the learning space, which we have started to do. The language lessons have also yielded another benefit. Parents now come with their children on Saturdays and arrange cooking areas, picnics and play areas for the little ones.

The parents also take time to play table tennis and long abandoned games like Ludo and Drafts while waiting for their kids. It has now become a meeting place and resting place for parents and children, leading to an even greater unity among our people in Namibia.

She revealed that this has set an example for other citizens as well as for the local population, and pointed out that Nigeria is now head and shoulders above all other citizens in Namibia in their ability to come together and mobilize.

During the lockdown, our citizens donated food and other essentials and raised money to help the less skilled among us. They donate their time to teach our children our languages ​​and they are already making plans to teach our children ICT, math and other essential sciences over the weekends.

Under the skillful leadership of Dr. Jude Osakwe and the vibrant board of directors, ANINAM has risen to greater heights. My appreciation goes to the volunteer teachers and parents who made this dream possible, the ambassador said.

She believes that the children in Namibia will no longer feel like strangers when they return to Nigeria.

Indeed, we give credit to God for the privilege of having so much unity among us and for having so many talents and languages ​​that we can bequeath to our children in Namibia, she said.

ANINAM Chairman Dr Jude Osakwe also noted that there has been a remarkable increase in the number of people living abroad in recent decades, pointing out that this has affected the way most families raise their children.

No effort is being made to teach these children their mother tongue and if it continues, all these beautiful languages ​​will disappear from the households and are in danger of extinction. For us, we know that language is intrinsic to the expression of culture and is a means of conveying values, beliefs and customs, it has an important social function and promotes feelings of group identity and solidarity, he said.

According to him, this was the reason their association took it upon itself to organize language lessons for Nigerian children living in Namibia, in the hope that this would make them more connected to their home country.

He revealed that they are currently teaching the three main Nigerian languages, and said the enthusiasm from parents and children is really encouraging.

We appreciate the support of Nigeria’s High Commissioner for Namibia, Ambassador Lilian Onoh. She has been a mainstay of the association. She provided accommodation for the lessons and made sure that all necessary facilities for the success of the program are available. The number of children enrolling in the language class is increasing weekly and as a result and as a result and the limited space to accommodate the children in a favorable learning environment, Her Excellency has begun renovating the facility to expand it to expand it. the children and others attending the language classes are accommodating and this will further help us, the Association of Nigerians in Namibia – ANINAM – to finally have our fully functional secretariat, Osakwe said.

He said the unifying effect of the language school cannot be overemphasized, adding that all parents are now looking forward to the weekend language classes to bring their children and also get together with other Nigerian families who may not have the opportunity to see each other. for a very long time because of business and work schedule.

We as an Association of Nigerians in Namibia cannot thank our Ambassador enough for making us, the Nigerians in Namibia, and our children feel at home away from home, he said.

A language teacher and parent, Ms. Fayokemi Tobi, also said the language school is a commendable initiative by ANINAM executives, and said it is necessary to teach children their beautiful languages.

Her words: There are so many children who speak English and other languages, but no Yoruba. This is understandable as some were brought to Namibia when they were very young, while others were born here. There are those whose primary method of communication at home is the English language, as one parent is Namibian. This Yoruba language lesson offers them the opportunity to learn to communicate in their native language.

As Yorubas, our culture is rapidly eroding to civilization, while the latter is very beneficial, but it should not be at the expense of the former.

We are proud Nigerians and, more importantly, Omo Oodua, our children should feel like they belong even when they are far from home.

Volunteering to teach the Yoruba children was very encouraging. It is such a joy to see their enthusiasm, willingness to learn and dedication to learn in them.

Their ability to form short sentences and communicate in our native language in a short amount of time is so beautiful. Sometimes they even interrupt the curriculum for the day by asking about the meaning of words or how to say a particular phrase in Yoruba. The parents were also very dedicated and supportive, which further supported the need for the class. Many thanks to the ANINAM executives and all parents, please keep up the good work.

Speaking of the importance of home language, Prince Franklin Ohio said that language is one of the most important gifts you can give your child.

By using your home language, your children will come into contact with your family. It also provides a connection to your important cultural traditions and to friends and neighbors who speak the same language. Using your home language, you can teach your children and learn new things together.

Language is used to inform others, ask them to do certain things and to express feelings, moods, ideas, information, experiences, etc. Undoubtedly, language has a very important social purpose as it is mainly used for language communication. After the realization of this concept, the Association of Nigerians in Namibia, with the strong support of the High Commission of Nigeria led by Ambassador Lillian Onoh, took the bull by the horn and established language lessons to the Nigerian children in Namibia.

Most of these children do not have the privilege of interacting with children from the same cultural background, but with the addition of home language in their activities here in Namibia, they could imagine what home feels like and interact with their contemporaries when they come to visit and also be able to communicate with the local population as one of the main purposes of language is to communicate with and understand people.

Language expresses and evokes ideas, thoughts and feelings. So this initiative by the ANINAM executive is very welcome and I believe it will go a long way in furthering our unity here in Namibia, he said.

Victor Uzoma Nwagbara also agreed that the Nigerian language lesson is a dream come true for teaching our children our native language. This is the best thing that will happen to Nigerian residents in Namibia.

I personally have a hard time speaking my native language, Igbo, as I grew up in the country of Yoruba. This scenario carries over to my children, as most of them grew up off the Nigerian coast. Since my wife is Namibian, it poses more challenges for the family to deal with my mother tongue. With the introduction of the Nigerian language class, my family is very excited to learn our Nigerian languages ​​and culture.

My kids try to mimic my accent (Igbo), and they understand some words and greetings. In fact, we can discuss family issues in my native language even in the presence of visitors who are non-Nigerians as compared to speaking English every time. By introducing the Nigerian language lesson, our children get to know their identity and culture. As soon as you lose your language, you lose your identity.

Good initiative.

I love YORUBA language..... best in da world