RE-INVENTING OUR ETHNIC IDENTITY AND REDISCOVERING OUR LOST VALUES, CULTURES AND TRADITIONS

The Hausas, the Yorubas and other ethnic nations understood the power, the role and the importance of language in preserving ethnic identity and asserting socio-political relevance, and so refused to allow the global forces of modernization or daily interactions with other races and ethnic groups in the country and the world to swallow them up.

However, it is quite unfortunate that the above case is quite the opposite with the Igbo sons and daughters, especially those that live outside the boundaries of South Eastern Nigeria. The Igbo language today has become an endangered item in our cultural milieu. Our language and the interesting different dialects are dying because we have lost ourselves to the force to the force of modernity and the civilizing process.

The crisis of identity resulting from the death of the Igbo native language explains why the Igbo nation is finding it quite challenging today to assert itself in Nigeria’s social, political and economic environment among the comity of other ethnic nations, particularly, the Hausa and the Yoruba ethnic nations. Even minority ethnic groups like the Ijaw and others can boast of having their presence felt in our national socio-political system than the Igbo ethnic nation, despite the fact that we are among the first three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria.

There is no doubt that like the Jews, we are merchants who travel a lot and in the course of our wild travels around the world, we come in contact with other cultures and civilizations. However, we must also like the Jews of Israel hold tenaciously to those highly priced values, cultures and traditions that define our identity as an ethnic nation, which language is one of them. The Jews are the most successful and most travelled business people in the world and are the pillars of the American economy and political system today, yet anywhere you see them, they are distinct because of their closeness to their cultures and language. This also explains why the Jews were able to assemble themselves into the New Israel after they were scattered. This also explains why they still determine who emerges the American President in any election. This is a perfect examples for us Igbos.

As the issue of our dyeing language, cultures and traditions that need revival, this year’s Orient Iriji Festival is an important to remind Igbo sons and daughters that it is time to put the “Think Home” philosophy in action so that we can build a powerful economically, socially and politically relevant Igbo nation.

The Think Home philosophy is the mindset that it is time for Igbo sons and daughters to work collectively to develop the Igbo land by bringing home a greater percentage of their business investments and resources which will create jobs for our people, and bring social development like we see among other ethnic nations. This is why people like Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chief Egbuawa, Charles Ugwu and other illustrious Igbos who cited their high capacity industries and businesses in Igbo land should be celebrated as timeless examples. Nobody except us can develop the Igbo land.

The body language of the Nigerian system against Igbos and their business/political interests is enough reason to tell Igbos that it is time to think home so that your investment can make impact in the life of your people and also be in safe hands. This mindset should not be restricted to Igbos in business. It is also the same message to Igbo sons and daughters and sons who are professionals in different fields of life. They too can contribute enormously by incorporating their fellow Igbos in what they do, and finding innovative ways in which their career and skill experiences can make the Igbo land a pride of place. However, we cannot dispute the fact that some illustrious Igbos sons and daughters who attempted to bring their businesses and services home had bitter experiences from the hands of fellow Igbos they wanted to help. This I why we are calling on every Igbo person, both those who are on the giving side and those on the receiving end to do the best we can to rebuild the Igbo nation in oneness of purpose.

The think home Philosophy also extends to the ordinary Igbos on the streets; you may not be able to build industries and big businesses or bring home your professional career and skill experiences, but you can patronize goods and services produced by fellow Igbos. This is a great way to make the Igbo nation and its people great among other ethnic nations.  Patience in learning and eschewing betraying our illustrious brothers and sisters is a virtue Igbo youths must imbibe. Let’s work together to make Igbo great again.