Philanthropist offers N2.2m to Anambra Schools in promotion of Igbo language, culture

 

By Okechukwu Onuegbu

A philanthropist, Chief Fidelis Nweke, on Wednesday, offered N2.2m to three secondary schools in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State in promotion of teaching and learning of Igbo language and culture among the students.

The beneficiaries, Community Secondary School Mgbakwu received the sum of N1M, Community Secondary School Amansea got N700,000, and Community Secondary School Achalla was awarded the sum of N500,000 for emerging as first, second and third positions respectively at Igbo quiz competition.

The competition organised by Nzuko Ndi-Igbo Programme Limited, a nongovernmental organisation committed to promotion of Igbo language and culture, was participated by 10 public secondary schools in the Council Area but only three eventually emerged as winners.

Speaking at the occasion, the benefactor, Nweke, represented by Mr Pascal Iwu, said the passion to sponsor the competition was driven by his love to make Igbo language become one of the competitive languages of study and spoken in the world.

“We decided to do this to see how we can revive and revitalize Igbo language to be recognized and be among the competing languages in the world. We are worried that an average Igbo man today lives in a borrowed culture. But no matter how hard we try to live western life and culture, it is not possible. The best thing is to embrace Igbo language and culture because it is our own identity," he stated.

He expressed committment towards ensuring that the next edition could be extended to all the public secondary schools in Awka North and Awka South LGAs.

Also speaking, a stakeholder in Awka North LGA, Ozo Agbatua Julius Emeka, commended the sponsor and urged benefitting schools and students participants to be committed towards promoting the language by making it an official language of communication at homes, churches, among other places.

On his part, the Chairman, Awka North Local Government Area, Hon. ThankGod Anago, represented by his Deputy, Hon. Scholastica Onwubufo urged the students not to allow anyone to deceive them into abandoning their studies for any engagement so as to graduate to become leaders at various endeavours.

Contributing, the Chief Executive Officer, Nzuko Ndi-Igbo Programme Limited, Mazi Chukwudi Ejimofor urged other philanthropists and nongovernmental organisations to emulate the kind gesture by executing prizes and organising programmes among students in promoting Igbo language, culture and folklore via radio and television stations.

"The quiz competition was organized in a coordinated and transparent order; the elimination stage had ten schools, which produced five schools with three best losers that qualified for quarter finals/knockout stage that produces four schools for semi-finals stage and today we completed it with third place and epic finals stages of the Igbo language quiz competition," he stated.

 
Speaking in interviews, the Principal, Community Secondary School, Amansea, Mrs Sabina Okpara, represented by Mrs Stella Nwafor, and a student of Community Secondary School, Mgbakwu, Miss Chiamaka Obidimma, expressed happiness over the outcome of the programme, assuring that it would inspire them to succeed academically and otherwise.