Politics
By Chiedu Uche Okoye
THE Eric Nnamdi Anyamene Foundation, ENAF is sponsoring the maiden edition of the Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition, which is premised on Pharm. Obi Egbuonye’s “Revive Obosi Dialect Project”.
The “Revive Obosi Dialect Project” entails the publicizing of uniquely Obosi Igbo language expressions on social media platforms, and their interpretations by Obosi indigenes, who live in Nigeria and in the diaspora.
And the maiden Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition, which has emanated from Egbuonye’s “Revive Obosi Dialect Project”, will take place on Easter Monday (April 6, 2026) at the Obosi town hall, Anambra state.
As the Obosi Igbo language dialect is an encapsulation or snapshot of the cultural values and norms, which form the collective identity of the Obosi indigenes, Egbuonye deemed it necessary and appropriate to execute measures that will prevent it from becoming extinct.
“I feel that we must consciously extract from the older generation and intentionally pass it down to the younger generation.
“Our elders remain the living custodians of the purest form of our dialect, and if we do not engage them now, we risk losing a vital part of who we are,” Egbuonye said.
Egbuonye, who is moored to the cultural practices of his Obosi people, despite the fact that he lives in Canada, stated that the inter-village Obosi dialect quiz competition is one of the initiatives, which is being carried out under the”Revive Obosi Dialect Project”, to preserve the Obosi dialect in its pristine form, so as to pass it to the younger generation.
In his own comment, the founder of Eric Nnamdi Anyamene Foundation (ENAF), Engr. Eric Anyamene, stated that ENAF is known for carrying out infrastructural projects in towns, giving financial empowerment to needy people, in addition to implementing measures aimed at preserving our cultural identities.
“At ENAF, we believe that true development is not only about infrastructural and economic development, it is also about preserving, who we are.
“And the Obosi dialect is a priceless cultural asset. It carries our history and values. If we lose it, we lose part of our values.
“This competition is therefore not just an event; it is a deliberate investment in cultural continuity, youth engagement, and community pride,” Anyamene said.
Regarding the inter-village Obosi dialect quiz competition, each of the five villages that make up the Obosi ancient kingdom will present four contestants, who will participate in the competition.
And the village that wins the competition will receive two hundred and fifty thousand naira while the runners-up will be given one hundred and fifty thousand naira. And the third-placed village shall be compensated with one hundred thousand naira.
It cannot be disputed that Igbo language will be prevented from dying if towns in Igbo land execute pragmatic measures aimed at preserving our Igbo language dialects from becoming extinct.
That a dialect of a language may be intelligible to only a people who are natives of a geographical area should not deter us from maintaining and sustaining its pristine nature.
The preservation of various Igbo language dialects, which are variations of and/or integral parts of the central Igbo language, should be encouraged, commended , and sustained for its manifold advantages.
A.I
April 3, 2026
Tags: Chiedu Uche Okoye ENAF Engr. Eric Anyamene Eric Nnamdi Anyamene Foundation Obosi dialect Pharm. Obi Egbuonye