Eze Ambassador Nicholas Emenike Njoku, Eziokwu bu Ndu 1 of Abazu, Eze OHA zuru Mee of Ejigbo LCDA, launches N150 Million Naira fund-raising for permanent school site, buses.
Eze Amb. Nicholas Njoku addressing the guests at the ceremony.
The event began with an opening prayer, recitation of National Anthem, Ndi- Igbo Anthem, welcoming the special guests to the high table. Also, displayed Igbo cultural dance and songs, youth/children recitations, pupils counting their numaration in igbo language amongst other activities.
Some dignitaries present at the event include:
Chief Sunday Ossai, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos state chapter,
Eze Stephen Agabiga, Eze Igbo of Bariga LCDA, Lagos state,
Igwe L.Ezenwa,
Chief Sunday Ude, Chairman of Igbo-speaking community in Lagos state,
Queen Lady Happiness Ajali, woman leader of Ohanaeze, in Ejigbo,
Dr. Sunday Ojukwu, Eze Ndigbo in Amuwo Odofin,
Eze (Dr.) Alex Sunday Nwonye, Eze Igbo of Ejigbo,
Eze (Dr.) C.C. Nwokedi, chairman of the Council of Ndieze in Lagos state/ EzeNdigbo of ijegun/ Ijeododo and many others.
Most importantly, Eze Njoku who has been independently funding the project stated that his ambition of establishing the school was to safe guard the possible threat of extinction of the Igbo language and culture in the nearest future.
He lamented that most Igbo parents have neglected their culture, while they failed to teach their children how to speak in their dialects / language. With this hope, parents can take full advantage of the school to enroll their children.
Speaking further, Eze Amb. Nicholas Njoku noted that the fee is free of charge, as he used the medium to appeal for financial support of a school bus, or a building that could be converted into school, at a convenient environment for teaching and learning.
HRH, Amb. Eze Njoku, addressing guests at the ceremony.
The students displayed some rich Igbo cultural dance steps and recited Igbo numbers, amounts of naira notes in igbo language, while the guests were excited.
The school pupils while displaying.
President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Sunday Ossai with other guest at the ceremony.
Talking about the significance of igbo proverbs in any conversations, Eze Njoku described Igbo proverbs as the oil with which Ndigbo eats conversation particularly when there are strangers in their midst, stressing that he has much to disclose about Igbo language and proverbs soon which would be recorded and played here and in the diaspora.
Council of Ndieze and other important dignitaries present at the event commended Eze Njoku for the vision and promised to support to ensure it is replicated in all the other local government areas in Lagos state.
The unveiling of the building.
The purpose of the occasion was the unveiling of the school building and fund-raising.
Eze (Dr.) C.C.Nwokedi, chairman of the Council of Ndieze in Lagos and Eze Ndigbo of Ijugun and Ijedodo communities in his speech, applauded Eze Njoku for the great project, he enjoind parents to train their children well especially with sound knowledge of Igbo language and culture.
He also urged the Ndi Igbo to support the project which he said is an investment that would benefit Igbo people.
Eze Nwokedi stated , “It is a call on every Igbo person to ensure that his/her children understand and speak the Igbo language, everywhere they go because if we stop our language, in a short period of time, our language will be forgotten. So what he is doing is to open people’s eyes.
“Parents, anywhere you live, ensure that your children speak the Igbo language because without Igbo, when they travel to the village, they cannot relate with villagers, some might forget to tell drivers where they are going which is a disgrace to the parents for not teaching their children our culture and language. It will be bad that one has a child that doesn’t know where he comes from. The child cannot explain the meaning of his name in Igbo. He cannot know the meaning of Eke, Orie, Nkwor, and Afor, it is bad.”
President of Ohanaeze, Chief Sunday Ossai, in his own remark commended Eze Njoku for the initiative which he said would preserve the language and be advantageous to the youth and called on Igbo parents to aid their children the opportunity to learn and communicate in Igbo language.
Eze Stephen Agabiga, Eze Igbo of Bariga LCDA, Lagos state, while speaking with the journalists, said the initiative would help our children to speak the Igbo language.
According to him, “If you go to Israel, there is a tribe that speaks the Igbo language as we do here in Nigeria. Igbo language is a good language but people are bastardizing it. Parents should ensure that they enroll their children in this school and also speak Igbo language at home. When they go to school, let them learn English there.
“What Eze Njoku is doing today is what we Ndieze should have jointly done but he has taken the responsibility to initiate and start it alone, so it’s very commendable.”
Chief Sunday Ude, Chairman of the Igbo-speaking community in Lagos state, in his submission, he said, “It’s as if this programme is organized for me personally because I have been calling on our people to ensure they teach our children our language. The truth is that our Igbo language is facing extinction in the next few years if nothing is done urgently about it.”
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