Queen Anyanwu Obiageri Abigail who is the reigning Face of Igbo Heritage Abia Queen has described Igbo Language as the key to the existence of the people, adding that without the key, the entire tribe can never unlock their true identity.

Queen Anyanwu made the remarks in a chat with www.otowngist.com in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State recently. She decried the rate at which Igbos are detesting the sound their own language, saying that the tribe are set for doom if the trend is not put to check.

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Recalling her camp experiences at the Face of Igbo Heritage Pageant, the Imo State born Queen said that she benefited immensely from the trainings, adding that some of those things should be seen in the everyday lives of Igbos.

“We lived like one family even when there was a competition ahead of us. We did things together and were also self-sufficient and that is what the Igbo man is known for.

We played music, cooked, danced and had several experiences that have already faded away from the everyday lives of the Igbo man. Not even those in the rural areas can boast of the moonlight gatherings that used to bring families and friends together;  those special moments have been taken over by Televisions and mobile phones, leaving those moments in the memories of our elders alone.” she said.

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She then called on families, churches and schools to do their best in ensuring that the younger generation walk on these parts which have made our parents who they are and also fight to ensure that the language becomes what everyone in the land will be speaking.

“Everyone is very proud of their language except most Igbos who go to the extent of changing their names and shunning others who speak the language to them.

We don’t need United Nations to pump in money to save our language, we just have to change the way we do things and stop listening to people who make us feel like speaking Igbo means one is not educated. We can only achieve this if we come together a one, like those days when even adults feel free to gather under the trees for moonlight stories.

Igbos need to be family again because without it, we can never achieve anything as a group.


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