Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze - Politics - Nairaland
Nairaland Forum › Nairaland General › Politics › Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze (3727 Views)
| Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Yellowson(op): 8:14am On Nov 05, 2015*. Modified: 7:25pm On Nov 05, 2015 |
Enugu — The umbrella association of all Igbo cultural unions, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has given reasons for Igbo language not being spoken at Igbo gatherings by Ndigbo. Former National Secretary of Ohanaeze, Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN, who spoke, lamented that Ndigbo do not speak the Igbo language to themselves because most of them were promoting their various dialects instead of speaking the central Igbo. There are as many Igbo dialects as there are communities. Nwabueze, who spoke at an Igbo language programme organized by the Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, for secondary school students in Enugu, said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo once decided that its meetings and activities would be conducted in Igbo, but this did not work because there were several Igbo dialects spoken in various parts of Igbo nation unlike Hausa or Yoruba which had acceptable central language. “We once said at an Ohanaeze meeting that all our meetings would be conducted in Igbo because we realized that our language was dying, but this did not work. The first day we decided that we must speak Igbo in our meetings, the late governor of Anambra State, Chief C. C. Onoh spoke his own brand of WAWA Igbo. “Onoh spoke at length and most people did not understand what he was saying. Every other person spoke his own dialect and at the end, nobody spoke Igbo again at Ohanaeze because none of us understood one another’s dialect,” he said. Also contributing, the former Registrar of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, and now traditional ruler, Professor Chukwuemeka Ike, blamed the inability of Ndigbo to speak Igbo on the missionaries who established schools in Igbo land. Ike said that when he went to the then Government College, Umuahia in the present Abia State, it was an offence to speak Igbo in the school premises. “When I went to Government College, it was an offence to speak Igbo in the school then. When I left the college, I travelled overseas for further studies. Writers should publish their books in both English and Igbo languages …,” he added. Also speaking, the former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, said that Igbo language should not be allowed to die. On why Ndigbo do not speak their language, Ekwueme said that this was because, “English language is a predator to Igbo,” just as Hausa is the predator to Angas, spoken by the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon’s people. “Gowon’s father was the leader of his people in the Anglican Church. The Bible was first translated to Angas language, but nobody read it because Hausa is predator to Angas. Igbo Bible is not read because English is the predator to Igbo. “The Hausa Bible which was translated after the Angas Bible is widely read, but that of the Angas did not sell,” he said. John Okafor, aka Ibu, an actor, also lamented that the average “Igbo child cannot tell you where he comes from. He will tell you that his/her father has not told him the name of his village. This is not good. We must speak our language,” Ibu said. www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/why-we-dont-speak-igbo-at-our-meetings-ohanaeze/ cc laclasticla |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by 14teenK: 8:24am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Just like during my secondary school days......we dare not speak Igbo or else Seminarians will flog the hell outta u 2 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Yellowson(op): 8:26am On Nov 05, 2015 |
14teenK:Thats true, and they will make you suffer for the sake of your mother tongue 2 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by kingzizzy: 8:29am On Nov 05, 2015 |
I wonder why Ohaneze did not switch to Central Igbo Which everyone understands? How can people go and be speaking their dialects when they know they are not likely to understand each other well? 6 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by PAINGAIN: 8:32am On Nov 05, 2015 |
That is so true. Whenever we go to my mum's hometown of achi in enugu state and they their own igbo dialect its always difficult for me to understand most of d things they say. 2 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Sijo01(f): 8:32am On Nov 05, 2015 |
So Igbo language is of different dialect. There's no cooperation among the language itself. No wonder some igbo are fighting against themselves. 10 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by xmich(m): 8:34am On Nov 05, 2015 |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Sijo01(f): 8:38am On Nov 05, 2015 |
14teenK:Bro, don't blame the seminarians for your inability to speak your mother's tongue. Did they prevent you from speaking at home and outside the school? The truth is that before now, it was a crime to speak vernacular in school. If you're caught speaking, you're made to pay a fine or you face punishment. 4 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 8:44am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Igbo langauge is at a meeting point of extinction and sustainability. For we to keep the langauge, we the Igbo should imbibe the culture of speaking the language without fear or favour. The use of dialect must be encouraged along side the central Igbo. Our naming partain should reflect our identity, in that our first name has to be Igbo irrepective of our religion background. I hate seeing an Igbo family that converse with english even in the absence of non Igbo speaker. It is a bitter true, if we, present Igbos are not careful prosterity won't be happy with us. Ogwula ka o ham na onu. Udo diri unu. 9 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by itstpia8: 8:52am On Nov 05, 2015 |
But the Igbos on nairaland don't seem to have this situation. There is even an Igbo thread and no one has complained of not understanding what was spoken there. 5 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by 14teenK: 8:53am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Sijo01:I never said I still can't speak it....but it's really absurd for u to be flogged cos u were interacting in ur language, it doesn't make any sense to me.... d way dis seminarians flog student is really uncalled for...I really don't want to remember it ...and more so speaking Igbo @ home only cant make u perfect in it |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 8:55am On Nov 05, 2015 |
That one na excuse. There is a brand of Igbo everyone understands. Use that instead! 2 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 8:55am On Nov 05, 2015 |
That one na excuse? There is a brand of Igbo everyone understands. Use that instead! |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Mynd44(mod): 8:56am On Nov 05, 2015 |
[quote]but this did not work because there were several Igbo dialects spoken in various parts of Igbo nation unlike Hausa or Yoruba[\quote] Ignorance..... So Hausa and Yoruba does not have dialects? Lmaooo 6 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by zuchyblink(m): 8:58am On Nov 05, 2015 |
itstpia8:that is why i laugh when people from Osogbo say ''Ikwerre is not Igbo'' not knowing that Ikwerre Igbo dialect is clearer than that of Ezza,Izzi,Ohafia and waawa 8 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by GenbIoodykiller: 9:00am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Sijo01:Kitikpa pia lie i isi ebea  4 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 9:00am On Nov 05, 2015 |
I doubt it if any true Igbo person will have difficulty understanding another Igbo dialect..... Personally I understand the Igbo spoken in Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo, Ogba and Ukwuani spoken in parts of Rivers state. The only one I don't understand much is that spoken by Ebonyi people. But good enough they themselves can still speak central Igbo. And I think there is nothing wrong with Igbo elders speaking their core dialects when they have meetings as their is no difficulty in tunning ones ear to understand what is being said in another variant of the language. Why encourage the adoption of a central Igbo tongue when you also pointed out that doing same caused the Angas language to diminish in favour of the Hausa language... Does it make sense... Can't you take precaution from the mistake of others......... Abum onye Igbo. 1 Like |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Abagworo(m): 9:19am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Bubewilson:You just wrote as an urban Igbo who has lived in a community which comprises of Igbos from different areas. It is impossible for an Onitsha man who lived at Onitsha all his life to communicate with an Ohafia man who lived in Ohafia. Central Igbo kills dialects and everyone wants his dialect preserved. I understand every Igbo dialect as a result of interaction and not because they are easy. 1 Like |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 9:27am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Abagworo:OK you are right Sha I have lived mostly in urban Igbo settlements. 1 Like |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by EasternLion: 9:45am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Bubewilson:You can't understand the Igbo Ibeme people in Obingwa LGA of Abia state speak. 2 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by seunny4lif(m): 9:46am On Nov 05, 2015 |
 FP |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 9:48am On Nov 05, 2015 |
EasternLion:really.... Then I will be very willing to learn. By the way are you from there? |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by EasternLion: 9:54am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Bubewilson:But I have a close friend from there, when he is conversing with his brother, it gives me headache, because I want to understand them, but even listening to EZZA people will be better. 1 Like |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by miqos02(m): 9:55am On Nov 05, 2015 |
hmmm |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by wisdomguy4u(m): 9:55am On Nov 05, 2015 |
itstpia8:Writing is different from speaking. You have enough time to digest and understand when written , unlike speaking , when everything moves so fact. Any word you missed, is gone 2 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 10:01am On Nov 05, 2015 |
EasternLion:lols..... That's the miracle of language.... What holds no meaning to one is an embodiment of thoughts to another. |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by fr3do(m): 10:05am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Everyone should atleast know Onicha Igbo |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Nobody: 10:05am On Nov 05, 2015 |
vfactor:Good Point. That should be the central IGBO. With that, it will mature over time. I can't marry a lady who can't speak IGBO and any other NIGERIAN language.. .. . It is my wish and it's sacrosant. |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by wisdomguy4u(m): 10:06am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Bubewilson:Am from Anambra , I understand delta and rivers state igbo more than Ebonyi Igbo , esp that of ikwo, ezii 4 Likes |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by ishiamu(m): 10:20am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Sijo01: GenbIoodykiller: 1 Like |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by zuchyblink(m): 10:39am On Nov 05, 2015 |
Ikwerre Igbo is very easy to understand but the one that gives me headache is Izzi. Ikwerre Igbo: Elele Alimini central Igbo: Elele Alammiri 1 Like |
| Re: Why We Don't Speak Igbo At Our Meetings-ohaneze by Yellowson(op): 11:03am On Nov 05, 2015 |
zuchyblink:kai !!!,bros i no grab anytin at all. Dat elele does not make any sense to me at all but the alammiri make brain. D most funny igbo dialect to listen to is NGWA. |
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