Ohanaeze Ndigbo Decries Decline of Igbo Culture and Traditions in Ebonyi State

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a prominent Igbo cultural group, has expressed deep concern over the erosion of Igbo culture and traditions.

According to the group, respect for elders, the value of hard work, and other cherished virtues have significantly diminished over the decades.

Dr. Peter Mbam, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Ebonyi State, voiced these concerns during a press briefing following his tour of schools across the state’s 13 local government areas.

He lamented the alarming decline in the use of the Igbo language, revealing that many students and pupils failed their Igbo language exams.

Mbam urged parents to actively teach their children about Igbo culture and traditions to restore the lost glory of the Ndigbo people.

He also commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for designating Wednesday as Igbo Day and Igbo Speaking Day, a move he believes will significantly aid in reviving Igbo heritage.

“We cannot sit down and watch things go wrong in Igbo land. We have missed our road in terms of Igbo culture and tradition,” said Mbam. “We no longer respect elders, we don’t value hard work.

There is nothing Ndigbo were known for in the 60s and early 70s that is still happening, especially the Igbo language.”

He further detailed the dismal state of Igbo language proficiency in schools, describing visits where children could not speak Igbo and consistently failed Igbo language exams.

“Our fear is that by the time our own generation is over, our children will not know anything about Igbo culture, tradition, language, dress, and other practices. We are not even using Igbo names anymore,” he lamented.

Expressing gratitude to Governor Nwifuru, Mbam stated, “We the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Ebonyi State are happy to hear that Governor Francis Nwifuru recently approved every Wednesday as Igbo speaking day in our state.

We are very glad about this and we thank our Governor for passing that resolution.”