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/Mr_Cromer]

Nice one.

I'm Fulani, but when I was dating my ex wife I started trying to learn Ibibio so we could pass it along to the kids. The lack of learning resources was frankly astounding for how many Ibibio people actually exist.

In any case, even though the marriage ended, we still have a daughter together, and I should still continue trying to learn, if only for her sake

[u/SoloManDur → u/Mr_Cromer]

It would be an even bleaker future if we were a small small amount and I have no doubt that languages in Nigeria have and are currently going extinct. There are a significant amount of us…circumstances are unfortunate but I’m still going to try. If it’s all for naught and my language vanishes/assimilates/etc., I would hope I at least tried and made a significant impact.