Opinion
By Val Obienyem
YES, you read that correctly. I am talking about Fr. Maximus Okonkwo, the Diocesan Education Secretary. He really messed up, tongue in cheek, during the 6 am Mass he celebrated. Now, what did he do?
During the sermon, which he intended to deliver in Igbo, he announced he would mix Igbo and English (“Engligbo”) for the sake of those who do not understand Igbo. He did exactly that, even though I did not see a single non-Igbo person in the Church.
Many years ago, when I heard about the prospect of the Igbo language dying, I felt it was impossible. But considering what is happening today, the threat is real if we do not change our ways. Could you believe that even in the villages, bricklayers and masons no longer speak Igbo to their children? The unfortunate outcome is that many young Igbos now respond to communication in Igbo annoyingly with, “I do not speak Igbo.” Parents even take pride in telling you that their children do not understand Igbo, which sometimes leaves one scratching one’s head in perplexity. Attempts to understand have shown that what these parents do is simply the parallelograms of their volitions.
Many languages have died in the past, becoming extinct once their last native speaker passes away. Recently, Lemerig, spoken in Vanuatu, became extinct in 2023. Similarly, Kasabe, once spoken in Cameroon, died in 1995 with the passing of its last speaker. If the almighty Latin, once the official language of the Roman Empire, is only kept alive on life support by the Church, then we must question how long the Igbo language can survive with our cavalier attitude towards it.
Now we are breeding a generation that does not speak Igbo, to the misguided pride of some parents, and we may soon need to compose a dirge for the Igbo language. These days, those who speak fluent Igbo are celebrated as if they have discovered a new demonstration in geometry; this is because, even among our generation, the language has lost much of its richness. The other day, I overheard someone use the phrase “Ikpa Ogbeye.” I immediately called my household to ask if any of them understood it. Though all of them understand Igbo, none knew what it meant, showing that culturally loaded expressions are among the first casualties in the gradual decline of the Igbo language. Every day, I struggle to enforce the rule that no one should speak English in my household.
It is for this reason that I take the liberty to appeal to priests to consider it a service to the Igbo language to speak only Igbo when the sermon is meant to be in Igbo. The Church is an important centre of civilisation, and to me, one of the marks of civilisation is proficiency in one’s language. Therefore, priests are encouraged to deliver all-Igbo sermons on Igbo Mass days, without apologies to those who do not understand.
So, if you are close to Fr. Maximus, I hope you understand the nature of this warning. Perhaps used for effect, it is simply a message that, while I continue to enjoy the richness of his sermons, given the rate at which our language is dying, there should be conscious efforts to speak entirely in Igbo during Igbo Masses to acknowledge the Church’s role in preserving the linguistic heritage of our people.
The government should also be concerned. As governor, Mr. Peter Obi introduced various scholarships and special incentives for those studying Igbo. In our days, Igbo was compulsory for WAEC in the East; what is the position today? I hope it still is. If I suggest that schools refuse to admit primary school children of Igbo origin who cannot speak Igbo by age six, is that too much? The crisis is severe and requires something drastic to nip it in the bud.
Moreover, today’s 1st reading reminds us of the acute hunger in the land, gradually worsening into famine. The tragic irony is that while encouraging production is our only way forward, the land is so insecure that a stable environment for production is lacking. May God help Nigeria!
10th November, 2024.
C.E
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