Sometime last year, I made an article to detest how we are gradually loosing our culture,our language in particular to what is now termed to be ‘civilization’. It is localization that makes a fully grown up person to stand, boldly, to say’I am an Ebira but I can’t speak the language’. Some have gone to the extreme to deny being an Ebira for frivolous reasons, like how comfortable do you feel when you stand in the midst of your friends who speak and chat in their own languages? You applaud them while you shamelessly say that ‘Ebira is too local to speak in public’,we are gradually loosing our identity and it is a big disaster ahead of us.
Recently, while I was teaching my students a topic ‘Why we must respect our cultures and traditions’,I thought of making it more interesting by instructing that the available tribes be represented,the Hausas,Yorubas,and other tribes were jumping up and raising hands so that I will choose from among them to represent. I was looking for who will represent my tribe,then I asked ‘Is there any Ebira here?’The students quickly point to a female student who was quiet all along,I pointed out the tribal representatives and they all came out joyfully,I instructed that they greet with their languages,tell us how they dress,and dance for us like they do,the Fulani,Hausa and Yoruba among them did the assignment perfectly with happiness and the turn of my Ebira sister came,she said loudly ‘Sir,I can’t greet in Ebira,my father didn’t teach us the language’,the other students bursted into laughter. I was ashamed of myself,I have met a fully grown man in his 30’s said to me that he doesn’t understand Ebira and he kept saying it without remorse. When your identity is gone,what then are you left with? Let’s begin to see reasons to make our children understand and speak fluent Ebira,dress,and know the cultures,it doesn’t stop them from performing excellently in their academic pursuit. To be frank,we have Ebira students who have or are still taking the Ebira identity on their heads and are leading their classes in academic works. Let’s regain our lost glory,be proud of where you are coming from,it will only be an insult to you tomorrow that you don’t know where you are coming from. As long as I know you to be from my home,except on an official note that demands that we converse in English,our communication will be in Ebira.
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