Bayelsa @30: Governor Diri Moves to Revive Ijaw Language
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has pledged government support for the newly developed Ijaw Language App, Dayama Demo, as part of efforts to preserve and revive the Ijaw language. Diri made the commitment on Monday at the Ijaw Language Awareness Summit held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa as part of activities marking Bayelsa State’s 30th anniversary. The summit, themed “Reviving the Izon Language: Heritage, Our Identity, Our Future,” focused on concerns over the declining use of the Ijaw language, particularly among younger people. The governor urged parents to take responsibility for teaching their children by making the mother tongue a primary means of communication at home. He also directed the Commissioner for Education to organise Ijaw language quizzes and debates in primary and secondary schools across the state, while announcing that the language awareness programme would become an annual event under the Ministry of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs.
Diri said the preservation of Ijaw identity must extend beyond language to include traditional dressing, cuisine and other cultural practices. He called on the Ijaw National Congress to collaborate with the state government on the initiative and work towards reactivating the Prof. Kay Williamson Centre at Kaiama. The governor also appealed to individuals and private organisations to support creative talents and initiatives promoting the language. Earlier, Dr Felix Tuodolo identified the declining use of Ijaw in homes, competition from other indigenous languages and its removal from the list of official languages in the country as challenges to its survival. Summit convener and Ijaw musician, Asu Ekiye, said the language was at a critical stage and proposed formal recognition of the Ijaw Language Resuscitation Initiative, systematic documentation of oral histories, songs, proverbs and stories, as well as language clubs and champions’ networks in schools. The event featured cultural performances and awards recognising individuals who have contributed to the promotion of Ijaw language and traditions.
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