THE WILL

The Bayelsa state government has once again advised every parent to try and teach their wards their local dialect at home adding that there is a need for Ijaw language to be institutionalized in the state.

Speaking at the weekend in Yenagoa during the celebration of national mother tongue language 2022 with the theme using technology for multilingual learning, challenges and opportunities, Patrick Erasmus commissioner Ijaw national affairs represented by Oyenife Jon Jon, the special adviser to the governor of Bayelsa state on Ijaw national affairs said the importance of ijaw language cannot be overemphasized.

He said as a result of that, the Bayelsa state government has agreed to teach Kolokuma dialect as a central language in the state adding that about two hundred Izon language teachers have been trained to teach the dialect in all the primary schools in the eight local government.

Reading out the address of Patrick Erasmus, Jon Jon read that the government was motivated by need to preserve the Ijaw language both the central one kolokuma language and other language as spoken by communities.

He read “Most of our young children today are unable to communicate with their mothers tongue and as united nations national scientific and cultural organization, UNESCO has repeatedly said, most of the languages will  face extinction in a matter of time.

“The Bayelsa state government has thus effected plans to commence the teaching of the Izon language that is the Kolokuma dialect in public and private schools across the state in the current academic session beginning from primary school.
“Some two hundred Izon teachers have been recruited and given the necessary training for the purpose and will be redeployed to primary schools in all the eight local government areas of the state.”

Also speaking, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Ifidi Collins Ebiware said that any language that is not spoken slides into extinction adding that language itself is a unifying factor.