Are Most African languages and culture Facing extintion? - a case for the Igbo language and culture

In recent times there has been a lot of hues and cries about Igbo language and culture facing imminent extinction. To me I believe that those making such assertions are not far from the truth. But then again, it requires an extensive research to know how deep our Language and culture has been eroded. The problem mostly is that it is difficult in present times to find among Ndiigbo, dedicated academics who will make out time and do thorough research work like their predecessors. Pioneers like Professor Kenneth Dike, Professor B. N. Okigbo Professor A. E. Afigbo Professor Donatus Nwoga, Professor Emmanuel Obiechina, professor V.C. Uchendu, Professor Ben O. Nwabueze, F C Ogbalu and the rest did extensive work on Igbo people and most of the information and other data we have regarding Igbo today were works of these great men. If Igbo language and culture is dying, we need to know what aspects, and at what rate it is being eroded. We need to have an idea of the factors and circumstances responsible for it. This is the challenge I throw to present day Igbo academics. They have to create a dedicated group of experts to lead us in finding a way out of this seeming danger. It is also the duty of all the Igbo groups both at home and abroad to initiate some action and delegate experts to find solutions. These groups should be more proactive by looking inwards rather than concentrating mainly on political issues as if that will solve all the problems of Ndiigbo. In other words, the Ohaneze, WIC and the rest of such apex groups should prove themselves by looking inwards, and finding solution to the problems related to language and culture of Ndiigbo.
I want to make it categorically clear that I am not solely holding the above-mentioned groups as the only ones the onus of salvaging Igbo language and culture falls on, no, that is not the case. It is the duty of every Igbo person at home and in the diaspora. It is the duty of every Igbo parent to pass on the folktales, folk songs, history, moonlight games, and of course Igbo language to their off springs, for its perpetuation. The demand I am making on the Igbo academics is for them to create a solid ground for a worldwide campaign among the Igbo people on the issue. Stating clearly the facts with clear data, and warning about the disastrous result if something is not done, I believe this will motivate people into action.
Before I conclude, I will like to draw on the words of The Igbo erudite, professor Emmanuel Obiechina in his presentation during the famous Ahiajioku lectures in 1994 in his lecture titled ‘NCHETAKA: THE STORY, MEMORY, AND CONTINUITY OF IGBO CULTURE, “ The story is at the heart of the understanding of the Igbo culture and the Igbo mind. It has been a mighty force for the conditioning of the personality and defining of a vision of life. In the past the Igbo mother had been the custodian of the humanizing process that enable the Igbo child to absorb the values that prepared it for participation in adult complexities”. Then he added this note of uncertainty. “Now, we run the risk of losing this important formative influence, and I fear, this loss will lead to loss of cultural memory and an abandonment to a life of rootlessness”.

Today the fears this great Igbo mind envisaged over a decade ago has caught up with us, but what thing the great professor did not envisage was that apart from Igbo culture dying from our inability to pass on simple but all-important things like stories that nurtured us, we have also failed to pass our mother tongue to our younger generation. As if these were not enough, we have, with our own hands, and out of zealousness towards foreign cultures, destroyed a whole lot of the symbols of our culture, our shrines, together with the stories, songs, music, musical instruments, poems, festivals and artefacts that go with them.
Taata kabu gboo. It is still early to act.