what has speaking your native tongue or maintaining your Nigerian culture done for you? If I had my way, I'll wipe out all traces of nigerian cultule from my kids. what a useless culture that cannot develop. their farming systems have remained archaic, technology didn't go beyond the iron age, communication never developed beyond speech! as a matter of fact, f**k nigerian culture.

duni04: How exactly does speaking one's native language benefit anyone? Our official language is english, while almost all of us are at least proficient in pidgin. The world is becoming globalised and english has become the recognised language of communication. All this tribal and sentimental attachment to native language whatever is jus t unnecessary and without purpose IMO

See how myopic ur thoughts are.I really weep for naija

Itoroetti :


See how myopic ur thoughts are.I really weep for naija

ha ha, i have largely lost hope in this country and her citizenry. The igbo language will eventually disappear with the mindset of the current generation. I partly blame pentecostalism. Igbos hardly pray in igbo language or give their children native names. Some even change their surnames to english. Have u heard about pastors called Stone O Stone, bishop sk magsey, rev king? They actually exist in igbo land.

Afam4eva: I have made it a rule never to speak to any Igbo person that can't speak Igbo and is proud of it. I don't want any form of inferiority in my life. I almost slapped a woman and i regret not slapping her that i heard talking about how allowing her children speaking Igbo will spoil their tongue. These are the 1diotic elements we're breeding. These are the same people that can deny their roots. They're the same people that can deny their father and mother if need be. I think a law should be passed by the government to make it compulsory for people to be able to understand their native turn if they must seek employment in Nigeria. These 1diocy has to be curbed.

That's what I'm thinking about right now.
Can u imagine how primitive my people are?my tribe(ibibio) is even the worst culprite,atleast I served in igboland and I know theirs is better compare to my tribe.it makes me wanna cry.look at the names the gives to their children,even those that have never travelled for once.
None of my child shall answer any english name and my future wife must surely be aware of this.

johnbush: what has speaking your native tongue or maintaining your Nigerian culture done for you? If I had my way, I'll wipe out all traces of nigerian cultule from my kids. what a useless culture that cannot develop. their farming systems have remained archaic, technology didn't go beyond the iron age, communication never developed beyond speech! as a matter of fact, f**k nigerian culture.

Your Username says a lot about you.

Smh

jennykadry: Lol what is wrong with "hello Aunty how are you?" Hello is a form of greeting you know.....what has "respecting" our cultural values done for our country? Is Nigeria better than these developed countries?

You got called Aunty and you are sad? You should be lucky you got called aunty and not your first name

That your reaction speaks volume how you've westernised instead of modernised to develop the in-thing!We need to stop degrading(deceiving) ourselves AFRICAN is AFRICAN!

In my home,indigenous language come first and other languages follows i.e. English,etc.Some people find it hard to believe that learning indigenous language first help child to understand any other languages easily! In anywhere in the world heritage matters:born-free and self-bond!God knows

Royal Roy:

Your Username says a lot about you.

Smh

Royal Roy..........

I visited one Yoruba family in Kwara State and was asking the four year old boy in the house his name. He kept staring at me without saying anything. Eventually his dad said to me that he teaches his children to speak Yoruba first before English!

...Am glad my parents spoke Igbo to my siblings and i thereby making us quite fluent in it and English Language as well.I would love to add more Nigerian languages if i have the time and the right kind of friends to teach me..unfortunately i dont, and besides i think it's much easier to learn languages as a child than an adult....

...proficiency in languages is why Bisi Olatilo is one of my favourite broadcasters anyday.He speaks at least six different Languages perfectly..Igbo inclusive..

..I will teach my children my language cos i wouldnt want to deny them what i had.

its a common mistake we make, refusing to teach kids how to speak their native tongue. I left naija and for 10 years I neva spoke more than two words of Igbo. the first day I came back to naija and saw my dad, I automatically began speaking Igbo. it flowed out naturally. people who know me cud not believe I still remembered how to speak Igbo.
we have a culture and many are ashamed of it, while others are fighting tooth and nail to uncover there's. I don't know as much about my culture but everyday I try to learn something new.

My wife is from AKWA-IBOM, she doesn't understand yoruba! And am from OGUN-STATE! I don't understand her language so the only way we can comunicate is english so my children don't understand yoruba. What about that

jullary: My wife is from AKWA-IBOM, she doesn't understand yoruba! And am from OGUN-STATE! I don't understand her language so the only way we can comunicate is english so my children don't understand yoruba. What about that

hmmmm. . . I have a friend who's yoruba, married to a german. their son speaks perfect yoruba and german! the only way you and your wife can communicate is English. but you can each communicate with your children in ur languages. Children are really smart. dnt be afraid you'll confuse them. so, you can explore that option

[size=28pt]A PEOPLE WHO FORSAKED THEIR RELIGION, WONT HESISTATE TO FORSAKE THEIR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AS WELL!


SOME NAIJA PEEPS ARE WORSE THEN ANIMALS.[/size]

PAGAN 9JA:
[size=28pt]A PEOPLE WHO FORSAKED THEIR RELIGION, WONT HESISTATE TO FORSAKE THEIR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AS WELL!


SOME NAIJA PEEPS ARE WORSE THEN ANIMALS.[/size]

wow. you're a tad upset!

PAGAN 9JA:
[size=28pt]A PEOPLE WHO FORSAKED THEIR RELIGION, WONT HESISTATE TO FORSAKE THEIR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AS WELL!


SOME NAIJA PEEPS ARE WORSE THEN ANIMALS.[/size]

joke apart, are u really a traditionalist? What is your belief system? I'm just asking out of interest.

Mgbadike80: joke apart, are u really a traditionalist? What is your belief system? I'm just asking out of interest.

Yes I am.

I follow Maguzanci-Boori Religion. (Hausa Religion)

peziz: Well i wouldn't go laying blames on the parents, because no matter how hard you try to make your kids speak/understand their native language, it might not stay. Speaking from my experience, i am Ibo and have 3 siblings, a boy and two girls making four kids. All born and started our early days in the north, moved to lagos when we were almost done with primary education, had both secondary, university and NYSC in the western region yet none of us speak Ibo, Yoruba or Hausa. it sucks really no matter how we all tried to learn, it just wouldn't stay. my parents gave up on all of us a long time. Maybe languages ain't our thing or really i don't know the problem. It breaks my heart when people blame them for not teaching us properly. They did their best but we all turned out this way.

did your parent speak it to each other and also to you very often when you were little? Was it a normal thing for them to speak the language to each other and to you when you were growing up? If they had spoken it to you and insisted you speak it to them right from a tender age, you would have being able to speak Igbo fluently AND NON OF THE ACCENT OF A LANGUAGE WOULD INTERFER WITH HOW YOU SPEAK THE OTHER!

AFRICANS are doomed. We are gradually losing our identity, We refuse our religion, culture and traditions but the most painful is that we are losing our Languages. But this mostly happens with Igbo and Yorubas. I know this Hausa family, very exposed to western life but yet the kids of 3yrs speak Hausa like licking candy, their father always communicates wit them in Hausa, they watch hausa movies, in fact everything they do is Hausa, but regardless their english is also close to perfect. Am yet to see a family from my Ethnic group to be this proud of

johnbush: what has speaking your native tongue or maintaining your Nigerian culture done for you? If I had my way, I'll wipe out all traces of nigerian cultule from my kids. what a useless culture that cannot develop. their farming systems have remained archaic, technology didn't go beyond the iron age, communication never developed beyond speech! as a matter of fact, f**k nigerian culture.

speaking my Native language and other languages in Nigeria has made me to be able to secure jobs you can only think of.

That you dont know so maany of the evolutions that have take place in all of our local languages only exposes ignorance as the cause of your unintelligent rant. BTW, what kind of development in language do you expect and has taken place in other languages that you think is lacking in our languages? Just say it and lets see if you are civilized at all like you want to present yourself.

johnbush: what has speaking your native tongue or maintaining your Nigerian culture done for you? If I had my way, I'll wipe out all traces of nigerian cultule from my kids. what a useless culture that cannot develop. their farming systems have remained archaic, technology didn't go beyond the iron age, communication never developed beyond speech! as a matter of fact, f**k nigerian culture.

in India, China and Latin America, this "archaic" farming system as you call it, is still widely practiced! I am sure you also know that people with your kind of thinking like you have showed here, do not exist among the chinese, Indians or the Latinos. No wonder the chinese and the indians are taking over the world today. They dont have the likes of you!

johnbush: what has speaking your native tongue or maintaining your Nigerian culture done for you? If I had my way, I'll wipe out all traces of nigerian cultule from my kids. what a useless culture that cannot develop. their farming systems have remained archaic, technology didn't go beyond the iron age, communication never developed beyond speech! as a matter of fact, f**k nigerian culture.

Oh, i forgot to take not of your handle. JohnBUSH! Lol. I for no bother reply you if to say i see this your "BUSH" name.

Dont have one tho.My kid would not only speak my native tongue but be as troublesome and stubborn as I was as a kid..
Why wont speak Yoruba?when dem no curse am..I understand the 3 major languages in Nigeria,speak small ibo and still learning Hausa so why my kid no go fit sabi speak one. ... IT IS HIGHLY IM POSSIBLE

[b]I see alot of people being super sentimental about this topic..

Is Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Effik, Ibibio, Idoma, Ogba, Ikwerre, Ogoni, e.t.c. spoken as an official language in Nigeria?! NO!!

So you are Igbo, you live in Lagos, your kids school in Ikoyi Lagos, you and your wife work 7 - 7, the grandparents are dead or barely come for long visits, the kids are exposed to a society where only english is spoken, their vacations are overseas, they have barely spent more than 5 days in the village at any particular time, Mum is Yoruba, Daddy is Idoma (so its not like even at home both parents speak to each other in one local language...), Television shows only foreign programmes, e.t.c.. HOW THEN DO YOU EXPECT THE KIDS TO LEARN TO SPEAK?!

The truth is that many people have simply thrown Language and tradition aside and focused on the pursuit of money and happiness.

- A child that grows up in Onitsha is more likely to be able to speak Igbo than a child that grew up in the United Kingdom.
- How many of you are willing to deport your children back to your villages to live and grow for a year in other to interact with thier people, learn their ways and traditions and our culture and religous practices?!


Like I said, the times have changed... Things aint like they use to be before. I told my younger brother about a fishing trip _{(actually its was a natural pond located inside a think swamp forest in my village)} I went on with my dad and my uncles in the village. Told him about the encounter with over 20 - 30 snakes on the trip, told him about the encounter with crocodiles and all the fishes we caught that filled 3 cars.. Told him about how my uncle poured libation, made some incantations and the snakes all started leaving without attacking anybody, told him about the beliefs that the snakes were the protectors of the pond, told him the law of strangers taking fish from the pond, told him about the time keeper bird that flew over us inside the bush signifying that it was time for us to leave otherwise the darkness would fall on us so fast, we would not be able to find our way out until the next morning, e.t.c.. He just stood there looking at me with bewilderment.. I really wished he can experience this.. Now this pond is still there and I have been trying to get my father to take me back to the pond so that I can take possession of it as he is no longer interested in it, but he just does not have that kind of time..

Sadly, my father does not have that kind of time on his hands anymore.. My siblings have not been to either villages in like over 12 - 15 years.. Grandparents are dead, village is now unsafe with rampant kidnappings and robberies, family members that are now haters, e.t.c..

The last trip I had to the village as a child for Christmas ended up with my uncle summoning my father before a Native Doctor..

Now imagine the mess... How were my younger ones supposed to ever learn the language. Some of you have similar stories as well. Dont use your life to judge others..



All I can pray for now is that by the time the next generation arrives, my parents would be in the last phase of life (i.e retirement) and would be the ones to teach our (i.e my kids and those of my siblings) the traditions and culture of our people including the language & religous practices.


If a kid cant speak his or her local Language in 2013... Nna, I dont blame them. The times of our fathers and now are not the same.[/b]

It is a shameful thing

johnbush: what has speaking your native tongue or maintaining your Nigerian culture done for you? If I had my way, I'll wipe out all traces of nigerian cultule from my kids. what a useless culture that cannot develop. their farming systems have remained archaic, technology didn't go beyond the iron age, communication never developed beyond speech! as a matter of fact, f**k nigerian culture.

my thoughts bout U might be offensive,but im sorry I cant help it. With what u wrote up there, U most likely come from a very poor background and that poverty has eaten deep in ur brain like cancer.U also never been outta this country too.. No well meaning Nigerian would say such bout this country. Forget what U read here,Nigerian culture is far richer than most rubbish U see on TV..we are the pride of Africa,Americans leave their soil to study us,Europeans do so,same with Asians,they all leave their soil to come learn and watch how rich we are and U are here spewing rubbish.. infact,u deserve 10 strokes of cane per word u put there... Animanu..onyiara

jullary: My wife is from AKWA-IBOM, she doesn't understand yoruba! And am from OGUN-STATE! I don't understand her language so the only way we can comunicate is english so my children don't understand yoruba. What about that

Try and speak Yoruba to them irrespective, they will understand.
I have a friend, the father is Igbo the mother is Hungarian.
He and all his siblings can speak Igbo and Hungarian fluently,as well as English.
Their parents spoke their respective languages to them.
This helped the mum to learn Igbo and the dad to learn Hungarian.

My 5 months old son is mixed race British. I have never for once spoken English to him. He can learn English from his mum and in school. It's only me that can embed our cultural values and language in him.

That our kids can't speak our native languages is nothing to be proud of . I remember how my Dad insisted on my siblings and i speaking and writing in our native tongues. Infact i particularly was always forced to write letters to grandma and grandpa in the village in our language. It looked like Dad was wicked then, but now when i speak in the midst of my uncles and other elders, i do it even spiced with deep proverbs Make person no go lose him identity sake of civilisation.

I'm trying my best with my kids now but it's not easy with 24hr DSTV and all the children channels on it. Got a rude shock when i came back after a trip sometime ago and my 5 year old daughter greeted me in Spanish courtesy of words she picked up watching 'Handy Manny' and 'Dora the explorer' on Disney junior

From that day, i made sure she greets me in my language while kneeling down to do it. I am trying to expand the scope because it will not be a good thing if she needs an interpreter when she takes a trip to the village.

Na only God fit help us.

@OKIJA JUJU, plenty truth in what you wrote up there.

However, we all must try to help our kids. If you lose your language, you lose your cultural identity.

jullary: My wife is from AKWA-IBOM, she doesn't understand yoruba! And am from OGUN-STATE! I don't understand her language so the only way we can comunicate is english so my children don't understand yoruba. What about that

the only thing you need to do is to speak yoruba to your kids and expect them to speak it to you. Your wife can do the same and i assure you, there will be no confusion

jullary: My wife is from AKWA-IBOM, she doesn't understand yoruba! And am from OGUN-STATE! I don't understand her language so the only way we can comunicate is english so my children don't understand yoruba. What about that

that shouldn't matter, I know couples of different ethnic groups that teach their kids both languages, An even the couples learn the languages from each other