Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has stated that Igbo language is fast going into extinction and has entered the eighth stage out of the 12 stages, which languages undergo before going into complete extinction.
Abia State Coordinator of IWA, a pro Igbo language revival women non-governmental organisation, Ugochi Chibueze, who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, the state capital, alerted Igbo stakeholders, as well as leaders of the negative consequences of Igbo language going into complete extinction, underscoring the need to urgently arrest the negative trend.
Chibueze, who spoke for the National President, Nneka Chimezie, said that IWA listed some panaceas that would arrest the downward trend of the language. According to her, the language should be made a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools, automatic tertiary education scholarships should be granted to people studying the language, including establishing special schools for Igbo studies.
She said that IWA also recommended that Igbo language graduates should be given automatic employment after graduation, and placed on special salary and allowances.
It also recommended compulsory use of the language in public communication, including designating days for Igbo to dress in traditional attires anywhere they are, among others.
