...Says Indigenous Language, Key to Maintaining Cultural Identity
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Stanley Lebechi Mba, has commended the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, for promoting the study and preservation of indigenous languages through its academic programmes.
Engr. Mba made the commendation while declaring open the 3rd International Conference on Language, Technoscience, Security, and Socio-economic Development, organized by the Department of Language and Linguistics of the university.
The Commissioner, who chaired the occasion, emphasized that local dialects are vital to maintaining cultural identity.
“Language is the best gift you can offer. The English we speak is a borrowed language; our mother tongue should not depart from our mouths,” he said. “Parents should encourage their children to speak their native languages because that’s who we are and where we come from.”
Engr. Mba, who was also honoured with an award for his humanitarian services, described the recognition as both a privilege and a challenge that would spur him to continue contributing to societal development through his foundation.
“It’s not about having everything, but allowing God to use you as an instrument to touch lives,” he remarked. “This award is an encouragement to do more for society, especially for the youth.”
In his welcome address, Dr. Jeremiah Anene Nwankwegu, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), said the conference transcended academic rituals, describing it as “a conversation at the crossroads of language, technoscience, and development.”
“Language is not a passive ornament of society but an active agent shaping our digital future,” he said, urging philanthropists and alumni to support the department in sustaining the study of the Igbo language.
“A language is not merely grammar and vocabulary—it is a soul, a heritage, and a repository of wisdom.”
Also in her remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Prof. Nkechi Emma Echiegu, said the conference provided a platform to interrogate the relationship between language, technology, and development.
“Language is a carrier of culture, knowledge, and identity, while technoscience continues to redefine our existence. Together, they influence national cohesion and sustainable growth,” she said, calling for collaborative research and policy action from the deliberations.
The Head of Department of Language and Linguistics, Dr. Chibo Goodluck Nwode, stressed that language remains the foundation of all disciplines and national development.
“Without language, nothing can function—technology, policies, and socio-economic systems all depend on communication,” he noted.
Dr. Nwode lamented the declining use of indigenous languages among children and called on parents to take responsibility in preserving cultural heritage. He also highlighted the department’s achievements, including the introduction of Igbo language studies across all faculties, but appealed for institutional support to improve facilities such as internet connectivity, multimedia labs, and a departmental vehicle for fieldwork.
The 3rd EBSULINGS International Conference reaffirmed Ebonyi State University’s commitment to fostering innovation, cultural preservation, and human capacity development through language and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Our correspondent reports that the event brought together scholars, students, and policymakers to examine the crucial role of language in shaping modern society.
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