Safeguarding Urhobo Language and Culture From Going into Extinction
Before our very own eyes, Urhobo culture is going into extinction and something urgent must be done to remedy the situation.
I very much align with Urhobo patriots who are as much worried over this situation.
By Zik Gbemre
As narrated by Amos Nyevwen Okpobe, “Apart from corrupting Urhobo names we have lost our culture. Painfully that after marrying according to Urhobo native laws and customs your marriage will not be recognised if you don’t go to the LG Registry and going to Church to wed.
“Is it morally right for one to marry one woman three times? The traditional marriage, the LG Registry marriage and Church marriage. What about our fathers and ancestors who didn’t marry in Church and LG Marriage Registry?
“Will they say they were not married. I think apart from our culture going into extinction, it is also wasteful for a man and woman to marry three times.”
This is a real and major issue in Uhrobo land. In my own opinion, I think Urhoobo language and history should be part of school curriculum in Urhoboland of Delta State.
It is so in Yoruba Land till date. They teach customs and tradition/history of the Yoruba in their schools. It is called (ASA ATI ISEDALE YORUBA), even in Universities there are faculties that teach the customs and tradition/history of the Yoruba people.
The better way to correct the problems of losing the Customs and Traditions of Uhrobo Land is to bring it back to the education system right from primary to secondary school levels, possibly university levels as well.
Uhrobo Culture, Customs and Traditions are too unique to be forgotten or go into extinction.
May God never let that happen. Uhrobo leaders from all works of life especially the political class should act on this.
Another online response to my write-up on Need to check Urhobo losing names to cultural infusion, reflected, “What about names of people? Many Urhobo parents don’t find joy in Urhobo names for their children, so we have oddities as names – Zion, Destiny, Perculiar,Gift,Wealth, James, etc.
This must stop because you are what you are called. Cultural identity is attached to names. How many Caucasian children bear Urhobo names?”
As narrated in another online video statement on mental slavery,
“Mental slavery when they moved from Europe to Africa. They’re called voyages of discovery. When we move from Africa to Europe, we’re called illegal immigrants. A group of Africans in Europe, they call them refugees, a group of Europeans in Africa, they call them tourists, a group of Africans in the bush, they call them poachers.
“A group of Europeans in bush, they call them Hunters. Black people working in a foreign countries, they call them Foreigners. White people working in foreign countries,they call them expatriates. The White Europeans and Americans have failed Africa. And Africans have failed themselves.
“In fact, the utmost stupidity, normalized by Africans, is when a French national cannot speak English, Africans respect him. When a Spanish can’t speak English, Africans respect him. When a Chinese can’t speak English, Africans respect him. When a Russian can’t speak English, Africans respect him. When a Portuguese can’t speak English, Africans respect him. But when an African can’t speak English, Africans consider them unintelligent, illiterates, dumb and stupid.
“That’s the level or extent of damage we have suffered as a people. We use English as a yardstick to measure the intelligence of our people, including children. A country that makes English compulsory in schools but agriculture optional will continue to speak English on empty stomach. In our schools, children are made to believe they’re stupid just because they cannot speak a language alien to their ancestral roots.
“Dear Africans, put an end to this mental slavery. Teach your children their mother tongue and allow the locals to feel free to speak their native languages without any stigma. Do not help the White Europeans and Americans to extend their oppression.”
I agree with the comments by Amos Nyevwen Okpobe, that Urhobo language should be made compulsory in primary and secondary schools in Urhobo land.
And we should advise our people to be giving Urhobo names to their children.
Zik Gbemre is an activist and social crusader