Union Beefs Up Teaching, Learning of Ika Language

In a bid to popularize the teaching, tearing and speaking of the Ika Language in Ika land, the Chairman Ika Language and culture Development Union, Chief F.O. Ehiwuogu has urged Ika indigenes, particularly the youths, not to neglect their mother tongue. The Chairman made the call while addressing newsmen when the union delegates paid a visit to the zonal Office of the Ministry of Education, Agbor during the week.

Chief Ehiwuogu stressed the need for Ika language to be taught in Schools to save the language from total extinction.

  “As a union, we want Ika language to be taught and spoken every where”, he said.

 He stated the objectives, of the union to include; to foster the teaching and learning of Ika language in schools, to find suitable and acceptable word(s) where there has not been one, to encourage and promote learning and writing of ika literature among others.

He said the Union will organize seminars, workshos and debates in order to carry their messages across to people, as a means of encouraging, improving and sustaining the teaching and learning of  Ika as the mother tongue, adding that contributions from persons will be useful and highly appreciated.

Chief Ehiwuogu also said that the union in spite of lean financial resources has planned to organize Ika language proficiency course which entails teaching the teachers to enable them teach students the language effectively as one cannot teach what he does not know.

  “Some of the teachers were not taught Ika language as a subject in schools, so we will teach them”, he said.

The Chairman also stated that the language is being forgotten while urging parents and teachers to teach children Ika language and appealing to the people to make use of the language so it will not be lost.