Igbo Gadigide Annual Cultural Festival set for Launch April 26 in Abuja

By Cyril Mbah, Abuja
Concerned by the disturbing predictions that the Igbo language and culture are facing threats of extinction due to lack of use by the present generation of youths, a group of south easterners resident in Abuja have launched a noble rescue initiative to revive and promote Igbo language and culture across the country to prevent the predictions from happening.
Explaining what motivated the group and how it’s programmes would be funded in an interview with our correspondent in Gwagwalada, Abuja, the Coordinator of the group, Evangelist Princess Tobechukwu Okaforocha said the Initiative will target young people and families with subtle appeals and award winning competitions for youths who will be encouraged to win mouth-watering prizes for speaking Igbo and for dressing in the traditional manner of southeasterners.
Princess Okaforocha stated that the initiative has garnered enormous approval from many businessmen especially Igbos in the Diaspora who promised both morale and financial support for the success of the noble project which hopes to host about 1000 participants from across the six area councils of Abuja and surrounding northern states.
The group’s leader expressed heartfelt disappointment over the growing trend among Igbo youths born in urban areas who refuse to speak Igbo and communicate only in English in total disregard for the Igbo language and she explained that no effort will be spared in reinventing the language and culture first in the FCT and across Nigeria.
Princess commended the Hausa and Yoruba communities in the FCT and their larger tribes for fiercely protecting their own languages and cultures at all times and she advised Igbos to learn from other tribes by speaking and communicating in Igbo language especially during community meetings and other social gatherings.
According to the organisers, the one-day festival will feature cooking competition, dancing contest, Igbo fashion parade, Ogene music competition, Iwa-oji (breaking of kolanuts) and quiz in Igbo language, among other activities.