Mother Tongue: Igbo women group moves to revive use of Igbo language in schools, homes

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia .

To ensure that Igbo language does not go extinct as predicted by the United nations in the next six years, a group known as the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has planned a special event on the mother tongue day.

The national president of the body, Lolo Nneka Chimezie told journalists in Umuahia that the event slated for march 21st, 2025 at the international conference centre, in Umuahia is aimed at bringing together stakeholders from all the Igbo speaking states to brainstorm on how to preserve the Igbo language.

“We the mothers are guilty of this and we are taking responsibility and trying to rectify this very bad omen trying to befall us.

She said an Igbo school is also been proposed for establishment to inculcate the culture and teach the language to children early enough.

According to her, it’s worrisome that most parents though can understand, cannot speak the language which in turn translates to having children who can neither speak nor understand.

Lolo Chimezie who was addressing journalists in Umuahia on the proposed programme announced that there will be a communiqué to be issued after the event on the way forward.

“how can a tribe with over 40 million people be said that their language is going into extinct, we will not allow that to happen, she said

She further said there was need to find out of the Igbo people were still interested in having the language preserved.

She said the women have taken it upon themselves to correct the anomaly and save the language from dying.