OHANAEZE NDIGBO APPOINTS FOUR PROFESSORS TO PROFESSORIAL CHAIRS IN BID TO HALT IGBO LANGUAGE EXTINCTION. (PHOTO).

 Ohanaeze Ndigbo Appoints Four Professors to Professorial Chairs in Bid to Halt Igbo Language Extinction

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has appointed four distinguished professors to its Professorial Endowment Chair initiative aimed at preserving and revitalising the Igbo language amid growing concerns over its potential extinction.

The appointees are Prof. Mercy Nnyigide of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Prof. Boniface Mbah of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Prof. Ngozi Emeka-Nwobi of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki; and Prof. Ngozi Chukwukere of Imo State University, Owerri.

The appointments, announced on Thursday during a cheque presentation ceremony at the Ohanaeze Secretariat in Enugu, form part of a broader 2025 pledge by the organisation to establish seven professorial chairs in Igbo studies across universities in Igbo-speaking states. The initiative focuses on advancing scholarship in Igbo language, culture, history, and related research.

President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, explained that the move was prompted by repeated warnings from UNESCO and other international bodies classifying the Igbo language as endangered and at risk of extinction.

“We have been inundated with announcements from UNESCO and other bodies that the Igbo language is endangered and may face extinction,” Azuta-Mbata stated. “This has prompted us to take deliberate steps to encourage research, documentation, and scholarly activities in Igbo language and culture.”

He described the professorial chairs as a strategic component of efforts to deepen academic engagement and revive widespread interest in the language. Azuta-Mbata noted that the selection process was rigorous, with four chairs now filled and plans underway to appoint scholars for the remaining three.

Beyond the academic endowments, Ohanaeze intends to broaden its interventions through scholarships and bursaries for students pursuing Igbo-related studies, as well as digital learning platforms accessible via its website.

The organisation also revealed plans to train approximately 200 youths in coding and Artificial Intelligence (AI), beginning with an initial cohort of 100, as part of its commitment to youth empowerment and future-oriented development.

Azuta-Mbata commended the appointed professors for their dedication and called on all stakeholders to join hands in safeguarding the Igbo language for posterity.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Professorial Chair Endowment, Prof. Damian Opata, hailed the programme as innovative and unprecedented in the organisation’s history. He said it would stimulate high-quality research, facilitate academic conferences and engagements, and contribute to curriculum development for Igbo studies both within Nigeria and in the diaspora.

Prof. Fred Eze, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, detailed the meticulous selection process, which involved thorough evaluation of research proposals, publications, and academic credentials to ensure only the most qualified candidates from the region were chosen.

Speaking on behalf of the appointees, Prof. Boniface Mbah expressed gratitude to Ohanaeze Ndigbo for the honour and reaffirmed their collective resolve to advance Igbo language studies.

“With sustained efforts and collaboration, the Igbo language will not only survive but flourish for future generations,” he pledged.