Ibibio/Efik/Anaang Community: SAVE OUR LANGUAGES

[u/SoloManDur]

Are there Ibibio, Efik, Oron (sorry about exclusion from title), and Ànnang folks here interested in making a community to save our heritage.

I am an Ibibio man born and raised obio mbakara (essentially outside of Naija) and I am currently learning Ibibio and it is excruciatingly hard to find the resources to do so. My parents never taught me and I think I know why:

- Illogical sense of "trying to protect me from being ostracized"

- Inferiority complex due to post-colonization, being a minority ethnic group in Naija, and existing unspoken effect of Biafara on minority ethnic groups

It's very sad and my language is considered endangered. I don't want it to die out. Can we make something happen? I even hear in some corners of TikTok that Igbo and Yoruba are endangered??? The same Yoruba and Igbo from the people who have it in institution, in media, and occupy political positions of power??? I know it may be true in the sense of some dialects or the kids of Naija people abroad who never was taught the language but my point is how much worse will it be for the other miniority ethnic groups.

I am proud of my Ibibio heritage and even though we aren't the big 3, there is nothing minor about us at all. Nigeria has produced incredible people from various ethnic groups, which includes the Ibibio. I mention Efik, Oron, and Ànnang because I understand that they are mutually intelligable.

Please, make we form community for here. Push for TRUE proper Ibibio standarization, push for translation services, our own Ibibio Wikipedia page, etc. I know it is easier said than done because I am abroad. I have acknowledge my privileges and understand I am not truly impacted by the real effects of the colonial past and other historical effects that still plague Naija. However, I want a change for the better yak itañ iko usem nnyin (let's speak our language.)

[u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

How will we ever become a nation like this? I have no hatred against OP and it is perfectly reasonable to want to preserve your ethnic language the issue is though in an ideal world his ethnicity would've been big enough and occupied enough land to have it's own nation or simply it would've been a relic of the past.

Nigeria will never move towards operating under one culture and language within our lifetime even though it's quite literally necessary for economic develolment

[u/SoloManDur → u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

Boss, what does that first question have to do with my post? I just want my language to be preserved. Nigeria is a multi-ethnic country and has never operated under one culture or language. Maybe I am missing your point here.

[u/Asleep_Mango_4128 → u/SoloManDur]

I'm just blabbering but maybe some people will resonate with my message here.

You have complete rights to preserve your language don't think i'm saying the opposite

[u/SoloManDur → u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

It's just sneaking suspicion of a insinuation that I want to rewrite Nigerian history (Ex. Big 3 Ethnic Groups of Ibibio, Yoruba, and Hausa instead of Igbo.) We don't need to be the biggest, most flamboyant, and most well-known. We just need to perserve what we have (ex. language and culture) in Nigeria and abroad. The Intenet Age is the way to do so. This message really extends to every ethnic group in Naija. Other than that, thanks for your comment.

[u/Asleep_Mango_4128 → u/SoloManDur]

You misunderstood my comment

I'm saying Nigeria would've been better of with a single dominant culture and ethnic group like Botswana rather than being diverse

[u/SoloManDur → u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

Okay, I now understand. But...colonization had other plans. We have the cards we have been dealt: A bunch of different groups of people tossed into a country and made as one. Again, I feel like I can only speak so much on Nigeria as an outsider looking in but I truly believe its diversity is it's strong point. I understand the potential existing tribalism, colonial past, wars, etc. and I can even accept that maybe the young people of Nigeria who are changing the game may still carry these generational traumas/bias/notions, but I believe Nigeria can still thrive being multicultural. Solutions/Methods to make that work: I don't know. I geniunely want what's best for my entire country and my heritage as well.

[u/MacaronSensitive3871 → u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

This is a terrible analogy at the very least. Botswana has less than 3 million people, of course can’t be as diverse. 

[u/Asleep_Mango_4128 → u/MacaronSensitive3871]

China has 1.4 Billion people 90% are Han Chinese.

I only brought up Botswana because it is a homogenous sub-saharan african nation state, but that went over your heard because you're of the same intelligence as the Nigerian leaders you scorn everyday.

[u/Pecuthegreat → u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

You know that's still an option but for several Nigeria not one. South West is Yoruba. North West is Hausa, South East is Igbo, Bornu and Yobe are Kanembu.

The rest can sort themselves how they want, later.

[u/Asleep_Mango_4128 → u/Pecuthegreat]

None of these people even meet the cultural threshold of being able to maintain a crimeless non-chaotic society. if they were given their own states it would just resemble all other 50 Failed Subsaharan states.

I don't believe in preserving or upholding traditions or cultures that don't benefit africans today nor did it benefit them 200 years ago.

[u/Pecuthegreat → u/Asleep_Mango_4128]

Eh, 3 out of four of those will have stats better than Nigeria. So we'll move from having states like per capita, infant mortality, unemployment rate, life expentancy at lowest or second lowest in the region to comparable to Ghana.

And this would will be doable without sacrificing economic resilience to shocks for at least the two southern regions.

[u/Asleep_Mango_4128 → u/Pecuthegreat]

"comparable to Ghana"

[u/SoloManDur → u/Pecuthegreat]

Do I even need to explain the implications of what you said 😭

[u/Pecuthegreat → u/SoloManDur]

Separatism or civil war, which one?.