Oxford University,  i mere nke oma n’asusu Igbo

Poor UNN and Abia State University. Now the politicians have another reason to travel to the UK to study, and possibly leave both behind. Yes, have you studied Igbo in Oxford? Lol. Congratulations Oxford, all of us are coming to study Igbo.

Seriously, I congratulate Oxford even as I continue to thank Google. Google is driving most of the core developments in Igbo Language since Prof FC Ogbalu and co worked on the 1978 Igbo Convention, and pushed for Igbo Izugbe with the evolution of modern Igbo alphabets (Mkpuru Edemede Igbo) to 36. I was still in primary school when we added “ch”.

Just recently, the University of Oxford, England introduced the teaching of the Igbo language as a course in its institution. The University inducted Mr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Umeonyirioha as the first official Igbo lecturer in the University. The University of Oxford is known to have offered modern languages since 1724 with the Igbo language as its latest entry. Feeling ecstatic, Mr. Emmanuel took to his Twitter page to disclose this groundbreaking achievement.

In his words, “It is official that I am the first official Igbo language lecturer at the number one university in the world, the University of Oxford. Our induction happened today by Mario Sadoux, head of modern language programs, University of Oxford language center. This became possible in the account of the James Currey society. This is the first time the Igbo Language will be taught at the University. History has been made. I am so happy and grateful for this opportunity. I promise to make the Igbo language and culture known to the world”.

Any “c” written in Igbo without “h” is not Igbo Nzugbe as “c” cannot exist in Igbo without “h”. So, you have “ch” like Chioma. My senior Igbo teacher in secondary school, Papa Iyke, was unforgivable for such a mistake; 

More so, they restructured the translation of English to Igbo and vice versa. For example, to translate “The man is a fox”, figuratively, to Igbo, you do not write that the man is “nk?ta ohia” which is a direct Igbo name for fox. Rather, you write that the man is a tortoise because while the English know fox as a cunning animal, the equivalent animal in Igbo is tortoise. So, you say the man is “mbe”, Igbo name for tortoise.

Oxford,  i mere nke oma. Adi m njikere ikuziri. Enyere m akara A n’asusu Igbo na WAEC (Oxford, you have done well. I am available to teach. I made A in Igbo in WAEC)

University of Oxford Adds Igbo Language to Special Curriculum

Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA (Jun 3 - Sep 2, 2024), and join Prof Ndubuisi Ekekwe and our global faculty; click here.