2020 Umunri Colloquium ends in praise, as Igbo Language comes on spot
Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
2020 Umuneri Colloquium with theme Community-based approach to promoting and sustaining Igbo Language has ended with a call on all homes inhabited by Ndigbo to be on advocacy of Igbo language, tradition and culture.
The colloquium which is the sixth in its series had panel of discussants cut across all fields including Prof Ifeoma Dunu of Mass Communication department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Ozo Charlie Tabansi from Nri , Dr Ben Okeke Emeluwa and Ozo Samuel Oraegbunam.
The book, “Umunri in Retrospect- Enugwu-Ukwu, Nawfia and Agukwu-Nri” written by Oba Nwaduche, was launched at the colloquium.
In their remarks, chairman on the occasion and the state President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene and his co-chairman, Chief Martins Ezendu, avered that both the Igbo cultural ideals and ways of life must be sustained in the face of religious invasion.
Okeke-Ogene called on traditional rulers in the five South East and other Igbo speaking states to take more proactive steps at ensuring that Igbo language, culture and tradition are sustained and promoted.
He said he was not pleased that the young people nowadays appeared to have more preference for English Language and western cultures rather than theirs which stand tall and unequalled.
He commended Umunri clan comprising Enugwu-Ukwu, Agukwu Nri, Nawfia, and Enugwu-Agidi communities for making serious efforts to sustain Igbo language, culture, and tradition and urged Ndigbo all over the world to emulate the communities.
“We are impressed with the way Enugwu-Ukwu community and the rest of Umunri (children of Nri) are promoting Igbo language, culture, and tradition particularly Ozo institution.
“We encourage you to keep up the good work which you are doing to promote Igbo culture and tradition. The truth is that you’re being envied by others. We encourage other Igbo communities to emulate you because what you’re doing is good.”
Lead speaker at the colloquium, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, Professor of African and Comparative Studies at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, COOU, Igbariam said that findings show that Igbo language was endangered.
Prof. Chuma-Udeh, noted that the roots of Igbo ideologies and culture must be made a cardinal socio-cultural affair, beginning with an Igbo communal conference, if the fight to save the language must be won.
She, therefore, recommended that serious efforts should be made by the leadership of Igbo land, communities, families and others to ensure the sustenance of the language and cultural heritage.
“All hands should be on deck. All stakeholders in Igbo land, both at home and in the Diaspora should be involved in this race for the sustenance of the Igbo heritage,” she recommended.
The traditional ruler of Enugwu-Ukwu Community and the host, Igwe Sir. Ralph Obumnaemeh Ekpeh, while adding his voice, urged Ndi Igbo all of the World not to allow Igbo language to wane, encouraging them to always give scholarships and other incentives to students and teachers of Igbo language.
He further advocated that Igbo language be made compulsory in higher institutions across Igbo land.
The Monarch urged the participants to carry the message to their different domains and as well encourage Ndi Igbo to heed the call to save Igbo language from extinction by speaking it always..
Igwe Ekpeh, in his royal advise charged the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo to ensure that they conduct free, fair and credible elections in line with Ohaneze Constitution in the January 2021 National Executive Council election.
Igwe Ekpeh noted that the process of saving the Igbo language must begin from homes, the cradle of socialization, and praised the ABS Boss, Chief Uche Nworah, who spearheaded the event, for championing the crusade.
On his part, the chairman, Umunri Colloquium Commission and the Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Chief Uche Nworah, PhD maintained that language is power as well as great tool for cultural preservation.
He explained that their aspiration as advocates for Igbo Language remains to make Umunri Colloquium not just an Umunri Affairs, but an engaging regional platform for the promotion and propagation of Igbo Culture, Economic, Social and political ideas.
Chief Nworah expressed hope that the exercise, an intellectual discourse, would bring solution to saving the Igbo historical pride, and thanked everyone that made the occasion a reality.
The panel of discussants led by Prof Ifeoma Dunu were in agreement that all platforms must be incorporated to teach the younger ones, the Igbo ideals and cosmologies, from the language, folklores, poetry, moonlight plays, masquerades and cultural festivals.
They believed that Igbo language is at the crossroads siting a global research conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, in 2016 which warned that Igbo language could go into extinction by 2025.
Prof Dunu lauded the detailed Academic research of the lead speaker, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh on the subject, and congratulated Igwe Enugu Ukwu na Umunri , Igwe Ralph Ekpeh and the Chairman Umunri colloquium committee, Chief Uche Nworah for the foresight in organizing such events.
She decried a situation where academics from Igbo land feel inferior to speak their language outside their base while their counterparts speak theirs freely.
The 2020 Umunri colloquium ws supported by Chief Henry Okolie-Aboh ,Group Chairman, Westfield Energy Resources limited; Chief Augustine Oguejiofor, Group Chairman, Rotech Energy Group; Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba PhD, Ambassador Designate of Federal Republic of Nigeria and Hon Dr Tim Ifedioranma , member representing Njikoka constituency 1 in Anambra state House of Assembly.
Ozomkpu Chudi Ekwunife and Cheif Clement Nwafor reminded that there is nothing the four communities that Championed the colloquium are contesting as the best they can do is to relate peacefully and Champion good of Umunri in solidarity with Igwe Enugu Ukwu who is working hard to bring up the culture, tradition and language of Umunri.
