According to Ohanaeze Secretary, Chief Everest Ozonwek, the organisation had set up a committee on the promotion of Igbo language.
Chukwudi Nweje
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos branch has set machinery in motion to ensure that Igbo children born outside Igboland not only speak their native language fluently but also write them as those born and bred in the South East.
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Revealing this in Lagos yesterday, during a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of The Sun by a delegation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos branch led by its president, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation said the action became necessary as Igbo children born outside their villages are finding it difficult to speak and understand Igbo language.
According to Ohanaeze Secretary, Chief Everest Ozonweke, who read an address on behalf of the delegation, the organisation had set up a committee on the promotion of Igbo language.
He said Ohanaeze wants Igbo children, irrespective of where they are born, to speak Igbo language as they speak English and other languages they learn.
He urged Igbo parents to not only speak Igbo language to their children at home but also to go out of their way to teach them language no matter where they are born.
Listing the achievement of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership in Lagos, he said the current executive has opened a secretariat, wherein all activities of the organisation are coordinated from. He said the executives had succeeded in resolving the protracted Eze Ndigbo squabble in Lagos by bring all the contending elements together for the common purpose of promoting the culture and tradition of the Igbo nation as well as the uplift of the Igbo race.
He said Ohanaeze was mobilising and sensitising Igbo in Lagos to obtain their permanent voters cards (PVCs) in preparation for next year’s elections, revealing that the organisation wants Igbo to have a say in choice of those who govern them at various levels of government.
According to Ohanaeze, it was only by having PVCs that Igbo would exercise their franchise and decide the fate of those who seek elective offices.
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Ohanaeze Ndigbo extended a hand of friendship to The Sun, which it described as a partner in progress.
Ozonweke said Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos is under the leadership of Chief Ogbonna, whose election was not only supervised by the national leadership of the organisation but also inaugurated by the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.
“That we are the authentic Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State is not in doubt. Prior to our election and inauguration, some of our brothers who fail to understand the rules of engagement still go to town to impersonate the present leadership with unwholesome acts of mischievous behaviour. We are doing everything possible to make sure we have one united Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos state,” he said.
Earlier, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Eric Osagie, commended Ohanaeze Ndigbo for working for the socio-economic and political development of the country.
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Osagie, who was represented by Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, Editor, Daily Sun, said activities of socio-cultural groups in the country have helped in the promotion of peaceful coexistence and good neigbourliness. The MD said The Sun, as a non-aligned newspaper, does not belong to any political party but stands for Nigerians and good causes.
He said The Sun, being the “voice of the nation” would continue to promote and represent all that is good because “it is a public trust established to serve every segment of the society.”