Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has announced plans to reintroduce the teaching of Edo languages in schools, as part of a broader effort to preserve indigenous culture and promote local identity.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Esan Okpa Initiative on Thursday, Okpebholo emphasized the importance of indigenous language preservation.
“We will reintroduce vernacular into our school system,” the governor said. “Let every tribe begin to learn and speak their language so that no language goes into extinction.”
The governor also disclosed that his administration had directed the Ministry of Education to intensify efforts toward school infrastructure rehabilitation.
Initiatives include provision of desks and seats, renovation and fencing of school buildings, installation of boreholes, toilets, and solar-powered lights and launch of a School Access Programme focused on hands-on computer education
“We want our children to not only learn about technology but to physically engage with it in real-time,” Okpebholo added.
Earlier in the meeting, Hon. Mathew Egbadon, President of the Esan Okpa Initiative, commended the governor’s developmental strides and urged him to take concrete steps toward reviving the Esan language, which he said is at risk of extinction.
“Many Esan people no longer speak the language, and it is no longer taught in schools. It must be brought back into the curriculum,” Egbadon stated.
