The Esan , kindred of foremost politician and elder statesman, Chief Anthony Eronmonsele Enahoro say their language and cultural values may go extinct if definite urgent steps are not taken to ensure that it is vigorously taught in schools.
Rising from a National Conference with the theme ‘Esan & National Development’ held under the aegis of Ikolo Esan, an umbrella socio-cultural organisation floated to promote the interest of the people, at the weekend in Ekpoma, Edo State, they expressed fear that the Esan language may die because their children are not being sufficiently encouraged to speak the language.
“Esan language is now threatened because it is not widely spoken, it is now dying because people believe it is some status symbol to speak English. Unless our people speak Esan, it will die like Latin. At least you can still learn and read Latin. But Esan is not taught in any schools. Even those born in Esanland can’t speak Esan. We need to speak and teach the language. People are also abbreviating Esan names in such a way that it is becoming damaging”, they contend.
Decrying the wanton speaking of adulterated English, now pervasive amongst women and children in the five Local Government Areas comprising Esanland, they asked for the creation of a Language Institute at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma to prepare the grounds for the teaching of the language at different levels.
Also noting the collapse of Agriculture in the area and the hijack of 70 per cent of the fertile land by moneybags, leading to depopulation and joblessness largely amongst the youth and women, the conference called for an integrative and innovative approach to boost Agriculture in Esanland and re-invent its largely agrarian economy, noting that “there are many nations that depend solely on Agriculture that are doing better than nations with oil”. It also called on government to ensure that “lands not utilised for between 7 to 10 years should revert back to the community”.
Observing the near decrepit nature of dams in Esanland as a result of poor maintenance and neglect, the conference in a communiqué issued in Benin City and signed by Professor Gabriel Oteze, chairman of Ikolo Esan and Dr Onohoomhen Ebhohimhen, chairman of the communiqué drafting committee, called for their revitalisation in order to ensure a more sustainable water resources development for the people.
The four-day conference which drew resource persons and participants from different parts of Nigeria and supported by Esan in Diaspora, called on government to urgently check erosion in Esanland, by encouraging massive vegetation of the area.
Also lamenting the virtual disconnect of the Local Government Councils from the people, which has seen the diversion and ferreting of resources meant for the area, it called on the political elite of Esanland, which has produced prominent sons and daughters in different spheres of life, to be more responsive to the demands and yearnings of the people of the area.
