Benin National Congress

15 March 2008

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba,
Honorable Speaker,
Edo State House of Assembly,
House of Assembly Complex,
Benin City.

Your Lordship,

SAVE EDO LANGUAGE AND HERITAGE FROM EXTINCTION: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SPEAKER OF EDO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY BY THE BENIN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Mr. Speaker, Compliments of the season.

In appreciation of your disposition to rational reasoning and superior arguments, we (members and Trustees) wish to humbly submit on behalf of Edo State people at home and abroad that you should cause the State House of Assembly Committee on Culture and Tourism to implement the Edo Language policy in all private and public schools to save our heritage from extinction. As a matter of fact, the non-teaching of the subject as well as the significance of our Heritage like Dance Steps; Artifacts; Moats; Mountains; Dresses and Historical tales has in no small measure denied our younger generation of the pedagogical essence of enculturation.

It may surprise you to know that Edo Language is listed among the languages to extinct before the year 2020 by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report of last year and since the emergence of this report, governments and concern groups across the globe (especially those affected by the report) have been articulating ways to save their heritage from the “sad prediction”. As a socio-cultural organization, we owe Edo State people a duty to raise the stake for the safety of our heritage hence our resolve to humbly appeal to you to ensure that not only is Edo language taught in our schools, it must be made compulsory for every students of Edo State origin to secure a pass (Average) as a promotional yardstick.

As we speak, Mr. Speaker, the Congress committee on culture is in custody of well over a hundred graduates and teachers that can teach all aspects of Edo Culture especially Edo Language. The primary aim of this letter is to solicit your intervention by way of giving effect or life to Edo Language policy which exists in our primary and post primary school curricula, because it is laughable and denigrating that our young generations lack the basic knowledge both historical and contemporary of our linguistic status and significance both as a race and a society. Edo people particularly those resident abroad have sustained the good pressure on us to make the humble appeal for your intervention on the collective behalf of Edo People. We are sure that if a public sitting is conducted on this issue, the turnout of patriotic Edo people on this issue will be very re-assuring. Sir, it is in our considered opinion that the time to act is now as they say, “a stitch in time saves nine”.

We watch closely!

Mr. Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo - President
Mr. Aghasagbon Osazuwa - Director of Publicity and Intelligence Committee
Elder Osasere Ogunsuyi - Director, Bureau for Heritage and Research

Cc;

The Governor of Edo State, Prof. (Sen.) Oserhiemen Osunbor
Edo State Traditional Rulers
All National Assembly members from Edo State Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Edo State chapter
Edo Leaders of Thought......