Igala Language In Anambra State. - Culture

The Igala in Anambra comprises of many towns;NZAM(headqauter and also the largest town in Anambra west, also the largest oil deposit in Anambra state), INNOMA, OWELLE,UKWALA, ODEKPE,IGBEDOR, IGBOKEYI,ODE, Allah and ONUGWA. We lies at the river Niger and omambala coast. Located in Anambra west L.G.A. We have 98% of oil deposit in anambra state. Predominantly farmers,fishing, we are the food basket of nation. Our language is gradually going into extintion. We speak Igala but most our young ones today speak Igbo more than our language. I dont know if they are feeling shy to speak the language, i remember meeting one of my town person at onitsha, i greeted him in Igala he answered me in Igbo ,it goes like this" ME: John kayi dee? JOHN: nnaa! Udo di,ME: kabe enale? JOHN: nnaa! Ka munwa fu madu ebaa." I think the government of Anambra state is not doing well to Igala language just as they do to Igbo language. I know that we are minority language in Anambra with about 5% of the population. It dosnt mean that we shouldnt be value. The government only recognise and promote Igbo language, where igbo language is being taught in every basic and post primary schools in the state. I remember in my primary school days in village where the teachers(IBOS) normally constrain us not to speak Igala in forecorner of school,is either we speak Igbo or English. In the government media companies; Abs 1 & 2 radio, Abs awka tv, Abs onitsha tv, purity radio, Nta awka tv, Nta onitsha tv and many other private radio and tv stations in Anambra. Out of all these media companies only one station allow Igala language that is Abs 2. And the programme takes 10mins only in a day with just two occurance in a week. We have two languages in Anambra; Igbo and Igala. The government need to help and promote our language. I think inferiority complex is affecting our young ones due to the fact that the language is not being promoted to people of Anambra. If we are conversing in our language maybe in any of the major cities in anambra, the igbos around normally refer us as foreigner in the state because many never know that we are full blooded Anambrian. Imagine commissioner of information,tourism & culture(now former) Hon. Maja Umeh saying in a live interveiw that he did not know that igala is in anambra. We have also had discrimination mostly people from anambra central&south,enugu,abia,imo claiming that we are not anambrian. I want to use this medium to appeal to government of anambra state. If it will be possible to appoint two or three igala indigene as commissioner or any appointive position. Secondly to charge the medias to employ igalas to enable them create a programme where the language will be desseminate to people.