In a bold move, the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has threatened to take legal action against the Lagos State Government over its legislation mandating the exclusive teaching of the Yoruba language in state-owned schools.
The National President of IWA, Mrs. Nneka Chimezie, made this declaration during a press briefing in Umuahia on Thursday, expressing deep concerns over what she described as a discriminatory policy in a cosmopolitan state like Lagos.
According to Chimezie, Lagos, being a melting pot of various ethnic groups, should not impose a single indigenous language on its students while ignoring the presence of other prominent communities, particularly the Igbo and Hausa.
“They should make it open—Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba should all be taught. It is unfair to sideline other languages in a state where different ethnic groups coexist,” she asserted.
Cultural Preservation and Advocacy
Despite her opposition to the Lagos government’s policy, Chimezie commended the Yoruba people for their commitment to preserving their language. She urged the Igbo community to intensify efforts in safeguarding the Igbo language, warning that it faces the risk of extinction if proactive measures are not taken.
As part of its advocacy, IWA has scheduled a grand event on February 21 in Umuahia to mark United Nations’ Mother Tongue Day. The gathering will bring together influential Igbo figures to deliberate on strategies to revive and sustain the Igbo language.
“We are coming together to have a roundtable discussion on our language, to brainstorm and chart a course to prevent its decline. At the end of the event, we will issue a communique outlining our resolutions,” she said.
Beyond the language controversy, Chimezie also raised alarm over the activities of the Agunechemba vigilante group in Anambra State, accusing them of extrajudicial killings.
She urged Governor Charles Soludo to rein in the group and ensure that suspects arrested by vigilante operatives are handed over to the police for due process rather than being unlawfully executed.
> “Agunechemba has no right to arrest and kill anyone. There has been too much bloodshed and the killing of our youths in the South-East. This must stop,” she warned.
With mounting tensions over cultural preservation, language rights, and security concerns, IWA’s legal threat against the Lagos State Government could ignite a broader debate on ethnic inclusion and policy fairness in Nigeria’s educational system.
PIONEER NEWS 