The annual Odenigbo Lecture takes place in Owerri today, a few days after the controversial convention and rancorous election of the World Igbo Congress (WIC) that was held in Tampa, Florida. Ndigbo (as people of Igbo extraction are called) have another opportunity to give serious thought to the problems of Ndigbo – especially, the dilemma of Igbo language and culture. Igbo language is classified as endangered and it occupies an unflattering place among the languages that may become extinct in the next fifty years. The uniqueness of Odenigbo is that the lecture is written and delivered in Igbo in an age that Igbo language writing and reading is dwindling in geometric progression. Apart from illiterate members of the Igbo population, it is doubtful if there are still any Igbo persons in any part of the world that think or speak in unadulterated Igbo. At best, most think and speak in the mishmash which late highlife crooner, Oliver De Coque, described as “Engligbo” (a cross between English and Igbo).

Clearly, speaking the Igbo language has become a problem for most Igbo families. And I am not just referring to Ndigbo in Diaspora. Many middle class Igbo children in Owerri, Enugu, Aba, Umuahia, PH, Asaba or other major cities can hardly comprehend much more speak Igbo. I have even met university students in Nigeria who bear Igbo names but cannot speak Igbo. And they were not born abroad but grew up in cosmopolitan cities like Lagos or Kano!

To say that Igbo culture is moribund is to put it nicely. It is more like a relic of the past. An Igbo man who dares to wear the woolen cap, with a flannel or isi agu shirt on top of a george or Nigerian wax cloth to a ceremony would consider himself lucky to find anyone else sharing his sentiment. The last time I wore this regalia to portray my Igboness was three years ago at a function at the Hilton Hotel in Abuja. Only one other person was dressed like me! But he wore a resource control hat and when I tried to make his acquaintance, I found that he was from Bayelsa State.

Igbo culture has become so bastardized that some people wonder if Ndigbo ever had any culture in the first place. At traditional weddings, the fad these days is for the couple to cut a cake - often baked in the shape of a calabash; they wear any outfit however ludicrous - Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Bini, Itsekiri – anything but Igbo outfits; and they dance hipop, makossa or any other music but Igbo folk music. The couple’s friends compete to display their asebi, gele,kente or other foreign cultural elements. In short, Ndigbo feel at home in other peoples’ outfits, other peoples’ languages and other peoples’ culinary specialties. But do other ethnic groups imitate Igbo traditions? Rarely!

But that is not all. Of all the ethnic groups in Nigeria, Igbo culture, or what remains of it, is peculiar. Among the Igbo, a man whose father has built a mansion, however imposing or magnificent it may be, is still expected to build his own house. What this means is that even when a young man has the good fortune of inheriting a sprawling house built by his father in the village, he must build his own. Otherwise, he will become the butt of sarcastic remarks by his compatriots. So, “achievement” for most Igbo men boils down to a competition to build big houses in the village and in the city, to drive flashy automobiles, and to acquire the highest sounding titles – however vain or empty they may be.

When other Nigerians emigrate to other cities or even other countries, they regard themselves as birds of passage who must return to their nests or like lions that must return at eventide to their lair. What about Ndigbo? Igbo men and women emigrate forever. They are content with buying, selling and menial jobs. And they take pride in developing other people’s homes. Ndigbo are the only group that builds expansive houses anywhere they reside - houses that are often abandoned in the event of a crisis. Igbo men engage in economic development of their towns of settlement while their homeland lies in ruins. And when they show interest in power, it is often for ostentation and vainglory than for altruism.

Odenigbo was initiated in 1996 to address these problems and to design an evangelization framework for reversing the trend. The initiator and host of the intellectual harvest, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese will assail participants with the stark realities of the Igbo condition at Obiri Odenigbo, the special pavilion constructed for the event at Assumpta Cathedral before the guest lecturer, Dr. Iheanacho Emeruwa, takes the floor. The topic for the 2008 Odenigbo Lecture is Oke Chinyere Ndigbo: Kedu Ebe Anyi Nozi? (God’s Gifts to the Igbo: How Well Have We Used Them?). Over the years, Odenigbo has spawned publications in Igbo which have given fresh impetus to Igbo studies.

But can Ndigbo be pulled back from the path of cultural suicide which they have chosen to thread? Since the coming of the whiteman, Ndigbo have sought to become more English than the queen. Among the ethnic groups in Nigeria Ndigbo lost most to colonialism and the vagaries of early evangelization. Out of the ignorance of early missionaries and the overzealousness of early Igbo converts, traditional herbal practices, artworks, and customary heritages were jettisoned. Today Chinese herbal mixtures repackaged as food supplements are overtaking the world while Igbo herbalists are still objects of derision - even when historical evidence shows that pre-colonial Ndigbo did not use western medicine to resolve healthcare problems but lived longer and healthier than the present generation.

There are many other reasons to worry about the Igbo condition. Age–old Igbo virtues and values have been desecrated. In the Nigerian economic ladder, Ndigbo have become the proverbial hewers of wood and drawers of water. Where their erstwhile competitors, the Hausa – Fulani and the Yoruba are digging in into their strongholds, the Ndigbo are wallowing in discordance even in diaspora. Today, the Hausa Fulani are deftly repositioning themselves as the ultimate power incubus. The Yoruba are in control of the commanding heights of the economy – the stock market, the financial institutions, the IT industry, the professional bodies, the multi – nationals - even when Ndigbo provide the regulatory brainboxes like the Ndii Okereke – Onyiukes, the Charles Soludos, the Ernest Ndukwes and the Dora Akunyilis that secure the system.

Thirty eight years after the civil war, Ndigbo carry on as if they have learnt nothing and forgotten everything. Contemporary Igbo lifestyle can be described in two words: materialism and ostentation. Reports have it that the Centre for Igbo Studies at the London School of Oriental and African Studies was shut down not too long ago because of lack of students. About six months later, the Centre for Igbo Studies at Howard University in Washington DC was scrapped. In Imo State University, the Dept. of Igbo/Linguistics is virtually dead because of declining enrolment. What has been done about these distress signals? Ndigbo are in danger of loosing their essence which is what happens to any group that allows it’s language and culture to dissipate. Igbo leaders need to support programmes like Odenigbo to stem the slide.

uchebush@yahoo.com; 0805 1090 050

Robot  Villager

# 1 The annual Odenigbo Lecture takes place in Owerri today, a few days after the controversial con...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 06.09.2008 22:36

denker  Villager

# 2 ..i do not know, but i will like to know why igbo language is not compulsory at every school in great ala-igbo-nation...i just dey wonderment!..Ndiigbo are just too crazy creatures...lol! Posted by denker| 07.09.2008 08:14

Oguguo Yakere  Villager

# 3 I was once on an entourage of a Federal Minister during Babangida's regime. While touring some of the Federal government assisted local small industries in one of the states in the west, the indegines who came to the event (jokingly) interrupted the minister while he addressed them in English to do so in Yoruba. He was a little bit embarassed by that request, but did not deny them that priviledge. There was laughter but he obliged with a smile. He started all over and address them in Yoruba being one himself. I did not frown that at all. I still have my copy of the casset of that addreess as I write this article. However, I imagine that no Igbo minister would have yeilded to that request. I call it nothing but shame. "If you say you do not exist, nobody will say you do" is actaully a Yoruba adage. The Igbo is lost into shame of self denial. The people of Georgia have just lost a war to Russia, but they are even stonger and more assertive about their nationhood. After that "yeye" war (that made onukus like OBJ generals), my father returned to Lagos where his friends and colleagues who were happy that he survived carried him shoulder high. He told them then that he was still a Biafran. They laughed about that but still had a lot of respect for him. Something went wrong somewhere. Ndigbo are one of the most gifted ethnic groups in the world of innovation & creativity. Furthermore they are gifted in sports, athletics, music etc. But look what they have done to themselves just to please the wicked, corrupt government of Nigeria that has persistently continued to oppress them and lately the rest of Nigeria. Thanks to the few musicians that have managed to keep the Igbo identity legacy on. My question for those who have been running from their identity is; What have they gained that outways their God given identity and the psychological balance that goes with it. Absolutely nothing, in my opinion. The Igbo forefathers must be turning in their graves in anguish as a result of all the identity mess of today. I wish everyone luck. Posted by Oguguo Yakere| 08.09.2008 05:09

emenanjo  Villager

# 4 =Oguguo Yakere;4295094890>I was once on an entourage of a Federal Minister during Babangida's regime. While touring some of the Federal government assisted local small industries in one of the states in the west, the indegines who came to the event (jokingly) interrupted the minister while he addressed them in English to do so in Yoruba. He was a little bit embarassed by that request, but did not deny them that priviledge. There was laughter but he obliged with a smile. He started all over and address them in Yoruba being one himself. I did not frown that at all. I still have my copy of the casset of that addreess as I write this article. However, I imagine that no Igbo minister would have yeilded to that request. I call it nothing but shame. "If you say you do not exist, nobody will say you do" is actaully a Yoruba adage. The Igbo is lost into shame of self denial. The people of Georgia have just lost a war to Russia, but they are even stonger and more assertive about their nationhood. After that "yeye" war (that made onukus like OBJ generals), my father returned to Lagos where his friends and colleagues who were happy that he survived carried him shoulder high. He told them then that he was still a Biafran. They laughed about that but still had a lot of respect for him. Something went wrong somewhere. Ndigbo are one of the most gifted ethnic groups in the world of innovation & creativity. Furthermore they are gifted in sports, athletics, music etc. But look what they have done to themselves just to please the wicked, corrupt government of Nigeria that has persistently continued to oppress them and lately the rest of Nigeria. Thanks to the few musicians that have managed to keep the Igbo identity legacy on. My question for those who have been running from their identity is; What have they gained that outways their God given identity and the psychological balance that goes with it. Absolutely nothing, in my opinion. The Igbo forefathers must be turning in their graves in anguish as a result of all the identity mess of today. I wish everyone luck. Oguguo, One of the things that I like in the Yorubas is their strong desire to make sure they preserve their culture and retain their identity. They don't joke with it at all. In London, they are doing same. They speak their language anywhere you meet them and they play their music anywhere, both at home and in their cars. That is what makes a people--IDENTITY. But can I say same of my Igbo bothers and sisters here in London, no. They speak English here and there and even discriminate and compete among themselves. Their children cannot speak Igbo neither do their parents travel to Nigeria with them. For solutions, We have to start at the individual and family levels. For example,how often do parents abroad communicate with their children in Igbo? Second, OHANNAEZE and ODENIGBO, should articulate modalities that would give very attractive incentives to teachers of Igbo language and make the subject compulsory in all Igbo speaking states. These among others will help to stem the tides. If as a people, we are not passionate in taken actions to check this drift, nobody will do it for us. Posted by emenanjo| 08.09.2008 06:10

Ranter  Villager

# 5 =denker;4295094607>..i do not know, but i will like to know why igbo language is not compulsory at every school in great ala-igbo-nation...i just dey wonderment!..Ndiigbo are just too crazy creatures...lol! In the 80's, It was mandatory to learn at least one Nigerian language in school. I do not know if that policy has changed. Posted by Ranter| 08.09.2008 06:28

denker  Villager

# 6 very attractive incentives to teachers of Igbo language and make the subject compulsory in all Igbo speaking states. ...my sentiments, indeed....dat gonna be my next project...stay tuned! Posted by denker| 08.09.2008 06:31

Chief Kalu  Villager

# 7 Thank you Mister Robot, sorry Uche for raising this matter. The Yorubas do not learn their language at school, they bring their language to the school. So, they obviously must have learnt the language at home. They probably learn the writing at school. Some lights anyway:The issue of non indegenship in some of the cities we live in is reinforcing our crave for our igboness. At the last MCA day, we adorned a george wrapper and chietaincy top, with kpom kpom to match. Our story is pathetic though, but we have to do something before it turns to a shame. Posted by Chief Kalu| 08.09.2008 06:53

emenanjo  Villager

# 8 =denker;4295094918>...my sentiments, indeed....dat gonna be my next project...stay tuned! denker, Are you serious or you are a joker in the pack or car park? Posted by emenanjo| 08.09.2008 07:21

denker  Villager

# 9 =emenanjo;4295094935>denker, Are you serious or you are a joker in the pack or car park? nwanna, watever trajectory you prefer to steer your thought is okay with me...au revoir! PS: ...always keep in mind denker is an action-man..! Posted by denker| 08.09.2008 07:34

ezyvic  Villager

# 10 =Robot;4295094527>The annual Odenigbo Lecture takes place in Owerri today, a few days after the controversial con...Read the full article. APGA National Chairman, Chekwas Okorie, says MASSOB’s activists can’t help Ndigbo From VAL OKARA, Owerri Thursday, September 11, 2008 http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2008/sept/11/national-11-09-2008-006.htm The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has been described as an irrelevant organization whose activities have done a great disservice to Ndigbo, because its leadership lacks the intellectual depth to make positive impact. Dismissing the movement as of no consequential benefit to the Igbo nation in an exclusive interview with Daily Sun, Chief Chekwas Okorie national chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), cited the group’s call on the Igbo nationwide to boycott the national population census and voters registration in 2006. That, according to the politician, had shortchanged the Igbo nation in the scheme of things in the federation. He also condemned the recent “sit-at-home order” by (MASSOB) and urged Ndigbo to dismiss the group, saying it “lacks the intellectual capacity to call for that human support to launch a major influence.” To Okorie there was no way the group could achieve its objectives without solving the problem of lack of unity among the Igbo. The outspoken politician also took a critical appraisal of the World Igbo Congress (WIC) summit usually held in the United States and passed it off as a mere “jamboree that has nothing to offer the people. His words: “The only attraction of the World Igbo Congress is the area of jamboree… people go there to meet some of their friends and relations they have not met for several years. Other than this aspect of jamboree, nothing concrete has ever been achieved by the annual get-together. It is not designed to achieve anything other than meeting friends and relations.” Chief Okorie described as shameful the Igbo cry of marginalization, saying: “I feel thoroughly ashamed and scandalized by the continued cry of marginalization. He lampooned the elders for sacrificing the progress of Igbo on the altar of personal ambition and self-aggrandizement. Excerpts of the interview below: World Igbo Congress The World Igbo Congress has been a jamboree since 1995 when it started. I have had the privilege of addressing WIC convention for a minimum of seven times since 1995. The only attraction of the WIC is in the area of jamboree. It is a gathering of Igbo people in different parts of United States like a union under a union and those who can afford it take time to attend. And Igbo people in Nigeria who also can afford to go and participate in the jamboree go there to meet some of their friends and relations they have not met for several years. Other than this aspect of jamboree nothing concrete has ever been achieved by that annual get-together. It is not designed to achieve anything other than meeting of friends and relations. Any plan to host WIC in the country The proposal has been canvassed in the past but the real problem there is that the organizers do not intend to relocate it to Nigeria . They always consider the cost as the major reasons for hosting it in the United States. The cost of the number of people coming home. Many of them have not visited home for a long time and majority of them may not be able to afford it. We have over 3000 Igbo people gathered in one major event. If anybody will use it effectively, it is Igbo leaders in Nigeria that should design and take concrete and necessary steps to convince Igbo people in diaspora. I am thinking that the Igbo people at home have failed to organize such event that will be attracting enough delegations from the diaspora. You can only expect delegations not the type of number that gathered at various venues in the US. Cry of marginalization It is a very big shame that nearly 40 years after the Nigerian civil war, we are still talking about marginalization. I feel thoroughly, thoroughly ashamed and scandalized by the continued cries of marginalization, when the statistics on ground shows that Igbo people constitute the second largest ethnic group in any state of Nigeria outside the core Igbo states where we constitute at least 99 per cent of the population. So, with this type of strength and number, there is nothing holding us back from taking steps and asserting ourselves in Nigeria politically. It is because of this vision that persuaded me to found APGA in 2002. It is the only platform that would guarantee an Igbo presidential candidate even as it is a national party which became our party policy. We pursued it and we were already consolidating to be able to use it as a bargaining platform. Unfortunately, the same Igbo people introduced crisis and that wonderful idea is at the point of its total collapse. We are now battling to start all over to rebuild the platform. So, it is a shame. It is a big shame. The elders have failed, personal ambition mostly inordinate ambition, selfishness and self aggrandizement have become the order of the day and that is the problem we have. The leadership of this country at private level expressed frustration that they don’t know what Igbo people want. Those who wish to educate Igbo people in political alliance said that Igbo leaders come to think of their own personal interest instead of what concerns the generality of the people. That frustration has been expressed to me by many important persons in the country outside the Igbo bloc. Sit-at-home ordered by MASSOB I must tell you that movement (MASSOB) is a group that is much lacking in intellectual depth and that is why I envisaged that the outfit itself cannot grow beyond the capacity of its leadership. The leadership of the group lacks intellectual capacity to call for that human support to launch a major influence. There is no way you can be preaching separation as a way of solving very clear problem of lack of unity and political positions. And there is no way you can separate these issues. We have gone through the heat of fight and you want everything which we have not recovered up till now. So, I think the idea of people asking Igbos to sit at home is senseless. Can you calculate the man-hour you will lose asking Ndigbo not to go to work for even one hour? The movement (MASSOB) has done a major disservice to Ndigbo during the voters registration. The group told our boys and girls that they were not Nigerians and therefore, they shouldn’t register and the stake for that can never be redeemed. The same movement told the people that they are not Nigerians during the national census and the damage that they have done to us can never be retrieved. It is unfortunate. I saw a body that had already succeeded in arousing the interest of ordinary Igbo people and this has probably prompted its leaders to go on ego trip. You don’t expect anything further to come from there. It will only take us time for people to realize that it is not the way out of it. The Igbo problem in Nigeria is 95 per cent political and once we get the right political leadership , we are on our way to glory. Posted by ezyvic| 11.09.2008 08:58