OYC begs Soludo: Save igbo language from extinction

DDM News

The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Anambra State Chapter, has issued a passionate appeal to Governor Charles Soludo, warning that the Igbo language is on the brink of extinction in private schools across the state.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the appeal was made in an open letter addressed to the Governor by the State Chairman of OYC, Comrade Onuoha Eberechukwu, dated August 3, 2025.

In the letter titled “The Vanishing Voice of Our Ancestors,” the youth group expressed alarm that more than 98% of children attending private schools in Igbo-speaking states are no longer able to speak or understand their native language.

According to the letter, children now communicate almost exclusively in English, even at home, in school, and during social gatherings, thereby neglecting the language of their forebears.

OYC described the trend as a “civilizational crisis,” arguing that the Igbo language is more than a medium of communication, it is a vessel of identity, spirituality, and ancestral memory.

The group warned that if urgent action is not taken, the next generation may grow up saying prayers, sharing proverbs, and breaking the sacred kolanut in foreign tongues.

Comrade Eberechukwu, speaking on behalf of millions of concerned Igbo youths, called on Governor Soludo to rise as both a political leader and cultural custodian to halt the decline.

The letter outlined five key proposals to salvage the language:

1. Mandating Igbo language instruction as a compulsory subject in both public and private schools across Anambra State.
2. Creating a State Taskforce on Igbo Language Enforcement, involving representatives from the Ministry of Education, traditional rulers, and cultural bodies like the OYC.
3. Organizing inter-school competitions and storytelling contests in Igbo, to promote fluency and pride among students.
4. Launching a “Speak Igbo Campaign” using radio, social media, and school platforms to normalize speaking the language daily.
5. Integrating Igbo oral traditions, literature, and history into the curriculum to enhance the cultural content of education.

Eberechukwu emphasized that saving the language is about saving the identity of Ndigbo.

He urged the Governor to make this cultural renaissance a legacy of his administration, one that will be remembered not only for roads and reforms but for safeguarding the soul of the people.

“Posterity will judge us not just by what we built, but by what we preserved,” the statement declared.

The Ohanaeze Youth Council concluded its appeal by reaffirming its loyalty to the cause of Igbo heritage, expressing hope that Anambra would once again set the pace for other Igbo-speaking states to follow in cultural revival.

With the letter now in the public domain, observers are watching to see if the Soludo-led government will heed the call and champion a policy shift that prioritizes language preservation alongside economic growth.

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