Promotion of Efik - a major minority language in Nigeria

[Oladipo Salami]

Efik - a major minority language spoken in the region (Southeast of Nigeria)
where the English lanuage was first implanted in Nigeria is reported in a
Nigerian daily - DAILY SUN - to have its first university trained garduates
this month. Here is the report:

UNICAL to graduate first Efik language students - DAILY SUN, Friday, January
2, 2004
  From Boniface Mzama, Calabar

History  is about to be made in Efik Kingdom as the University of Calabar
[Unical] will soon graduate eight students who read Efik language. Although
thousands of the Efik race have over the years graduated in various fields
of learning, the graduation ceremony coming up this month, will be quite
spectacular as the eight students will be the first to have read the
language in the university. Excited by the unprecedented ceremony, the grand
partriarch of Efik Kingdom, Professor Nta Elijah Henshaw , the Obong of
Calabar, has said that plans were in the pipeline for the language to be
made compulsory for natives of the race at the primary and secondary levels.
The apex traditional ruler of the Efik Kingdom, has said that his palace was
initiating a scholarship scheme to assist interested students of the area,
wishing to study the language.
Following the programme, he said each family in Calabar would be expected to
contribute to the promotion of the language in schools and the university.
Speaking to newsmen at the Obong's palace to mark the 2nd coronation
anniversary of the Obong of Calabar, Prince Eyo Adam III, Secretary-General
of the Etubom Council, said apart from individual families, every native of
the area would  contribute N200 [$1.50] each, as his or her contribution to
the promotion of the language.
"Already, we have sent letters to Efik sons and daughters, both at home and
in diaspora to assist in the programme, which is tagged: Promotion of Efik
Language", he said.

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