My job as a language teacher (Igbo) over the years ended up bringing back the FRUSTRATION I had when my children were still learning how to speak Igbo. This is because when I meet the children for the first time and tell them the need to speak their language, they get excited about it some even go as far as making “No English at home” kind of promises.

By my next visit to that same school, more than eighty percent of the children will not sustain the motivation up to two days and the other twenty percent doesn’t even get to one week before they join “My parents are not speaking Igbo to me” kind of chorus.

This brings pain to my heart (considering that some of those schools was just a voluntary service) and makes me wonder if it really worth the effort and time.

Funny enough, this children channel the energy they would have used to learn their language into something else since no one at home is there to follow-up and sustain their newly developed interests.

The children of high and mighty who are privileged to have different devices use them to download and play every other game but Igbo language.

On the other hand children of the less privileged who are taken to the village, close their hearts from learning Igbo language in the name of forming local tush. Even when they probably by reason of difficult times stay long enough in the village to learn the language, once they see themselves in the urban cities, they immediately throw the language away like hot potato because it reminds them of the suffering they went through in the village.

How do I get this parents to know that most of their children are longing to speak their language but they ignorantly denying them the opportunity and still turn back to blame them for not speaking.

How do I help the young generation express their minds on how their parents collected the beautiful gift of Igbo language from their grannies instead of handing it over to them, they buried it like the stewards in the bible all they are handing over are excuses and blames.

This led me into going for some Motivational and Leadership training with John Maxwell’s Team

When my four children emerged among the best ten in Igbo storytelling competition organised by Omenani Igbo Ga Adi group and one of them got a prize as the first runner up while the other three got consolation prizes, people were asking me how I achieved it, knowing native language difficulties in Port Harcourt environment.

The answer lies on setting a language goal, persistence and consistency among others.

Make up your mind, don’t ever quit. Generations will thank you for the sacrifice.