An Encounter To Save A Language In Distress

by Paul Chika Emekwulu

It was a beautiful Wednesday evening. I have just finished creating a title for a new book I was so excited about. It is a book about the Igbo Language with a mathematical slant. tentatively titled,

Spell Your Igbo Name in Igbo
Right or Wrong?

A Mathematical Approach

I decided to leave the house to drive to my village school where I jog every evening. It was there that I was met with the noise of children who came out of a catechism class in the background. As I came out of my car I met a group of highly motivated children I have never encountered in recent times. Yes, motivated. You can see it in the way they were walking.and they way they were talking as well. They were all looking in my direction smiling.

“Good evening sir,” they all greeted in unison.

‘Good evening,” I said back to them.

“How are you all doing?”

“Fine,” they replied.

Usually when children walk up to you in this manner there is definitely a reason for doing so.

“Do you know me?”

“Yes,” they said before I could finish the last word.

“Who am I?”

I was dumbfounded for they really do. Within me I was happy I wasn’t doing something I wouldn’t be proud of when I look at myself in the mirror.

Next, I said, “let’s know each other.” “Who and who are brothers and sisters?’

They started moving from left to right standing in groups of ones, and twos holding hands.

A girl was standing by herself. Before I could ask if she didn’t have a sister or brother among the various groups, one of the group members extended her hand to her and said: “She is my neighbour.” She joined them. My question ended at that particular point. This came to an end with their holding hands together as a group – an idea that came from the oldest among them.

“You have to tell me your names,” starting from my right.”

I told them that it might not be easy for me to remember all their names but whenever they see me they should call my attention. They agreed. The introduction was started and ended.

Next was spelling of names. They all have Igbo names that had “Chukwu” in it e.g.Chukwujindụ. I told them to spell their names starting from the first person who introduced himself. I said, “you all have names with the word “Chukwu” in it.” I said, “I have such a name too.”

After saying that I joined them
.
He started by spelling his Igbo name in English. We never mentioned baptismal names. Right immediately I knew there was a problem, a problem that is widely spread. The problem is the Anglicizing Movement which can be defined as a deliberate act by some Igbo speaking men and women to spell and write their Igbo names using English alphabets.

I did not condemn his answer to avoid others not getting a fair treatment, though intuitively I knew their spelling habit wouldn’t be different. They all took their turns. They all spelt in English.

In my mind I started thinking of how to correct this because it needs to be corrected. “Catch them young” is a popular saying and then an Igbo adage comes in to say: “Kwuo mmiri oge olubeghi n’ogbugba ọla. “

I said, remember we have a, b, c, d, e, f, g…..and we also have a, b, gb, c, ch, d, e…….. It was at this time that they realized the mistake they made. Chijindụ voluntered to repeat the spelling followed by Amala and another girl.

In the missionary days when we were in primary school, the curriculum of those days included both the British and Metric system of measurements with hope that one day the British would be dropped in favour of the Metric system. That day had come and still with us and will probably continue with us unless a better system comes up in the future. Now the British (Imperial) system has been dropped as predicted.

Now, similarly for everyone including these beautiful young minds, we were taught both English and Igbo alphabets not with the hope of dropping one in favour of the other but to continue with both because none will leave us throughout our lives. It is also hoped that no one would reject his or her mother tongue though some children and adults are being tempted to do exactly that. That should be discouraged by parents and everyone once it is noticed. Such attitude is like weeds in the garden and should never be encouraged once it shows up.

As we were talking, the clouds were gathering and getting darker. They didn’t want to disperse. I said, “you have to go home because it would soon start to rain.” I said this severalj times till they agreed to leave. We dispersed at this point and one of them asked me whether I would be there on Friday and Saturday.

I said, “,yes,” without much contemplation.

We had already dispersed and they were walking home when she was saying this. I was walking to my usual jogging area.

We promised each other to see again and probably continue from where we stopped.