We must not allow Igbo culture to die — Anakwenze

The Chairman of Igbo World​ Assembly (IWA), Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze​ has​ called on every Igbo man across the world to ensure that Igbo culture and tradition are revived.

He said the Igbos must not allow their culture and tradition to go into extinction because of external influence.

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Anakwenze who spoke with South East Trust in Abanga, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, said the Igbo culture is one of the richest in the world and must be protected to give Ndigbo identity.

“Ndigbo have a richer culture than other countries in the world and we must not allow our culture to die because of Western culture and tradition,” he said.

He said Ndigbo in the United States of America have established Igbo institute in the country as part of efforts to teach those abroad the culture and tradition of the people.

“We have Igbo Institute in the USA. It teaches Igbo language and culture online for Ndigbo. A lot of Caribbean and Afro- Americans are Igbos. Some families have been there since the slavery era. We also do hold the great Igbo cultural day every August in collaboration with Eze Eri, Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government of Anambra State, “ he said.

Anakwenze, who is also the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Diaspora, urged Ndigbo all over the world to preserve the Igbo language, stressing that many languages are dying.

“We must respect our culture and tradition and if we cannot respect and preserve them, we don’t have anything to be proud about and say it is our own. Our values are in our culture and we should be proud of them,” he said.

He berated those who give preference to European culture ahead of Igbo culture by taking ‘foreign’ titles.

He lamented that many Igbo men have taken chieftaincy titles from the Europeans and Americans at the expense of the Igbo titles.

“The white men never took ‘Ozo’ title in Igbo land but Ndigbo are rushing to take up the Englishman’s chieftaincy title – the one they called knight. We have our own chieftaincy title, which is called Ozo and others.

“I have refused to take the Englishman’s chieftaincy title ‘knight’ because I have not seen any European take Ozo title in Igboland. I will only take the chieftaincy of a white man, when they take Ozo title in Igboland,” he said.