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Traditional leaders, educators and community stakeholders have renewed calls for the revival of the Igbo language, moral values and cultural identity, describing them as essential to preserving the future of the Igbo nation.
The call was made at the Nkata Ndi Iyom Re-orientation on Igbo Cultural Values, organised by Nkata Ndi Iyom Igbo in partnership with the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation at the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation Centre, Imo State University, Owerri.
The programme formed part of the 2026 Igbo-Speaking Communities: Children, Youth and Women Moral Initiative Train-the-Trainers Capacity Development Programme, which brought together traditional rulers, educators, women leaders, youth mentors and other stakeholders to promote cultural renewal.
Delivering the keynote address on the theme, “Igbo Values and Ethos System: Our Heritage, Our Values, Our Future,” Igbo cultural enthusiast and public intellectual, Roz Ben Okagbue, stressed the need for Ndigbo across the world to preserve and promote the Igbo language, culture and value system, describing them as the foundation of the people’s identity and future.
He said the Igbo forebears measured greatness by character, integrity and service rather than wealth, noting that principles such as Ezi Afa Ka Ego (a good name is better than riches) and Egbe Belu, Ugo Belu (live and let live) remain enduring values of justice, peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
Okagbue described language as the soul of every people, warning that communities that abandon their language and traditions risk losing their identity.
He acknowledged the achievements of Igbo people around the world in business, technology, education and commerce but cautioned that economic success without strong moral and cultural foundations would not endure.
The keynote speaker also expressed concern over what he described as a growing identity crisis among young people, citing the declining use of the Igbo language, weakening traditional mentorship structures such as the Igba-Boi apprenticeship system and the growing attraction to quick wealth.
According to him, the erosion of traditional values of hard work, honesty and integrity threatens the moral fabric of Igbo society.
He urged parents, educators, traditional institutions and community leaders to work together to rebuild society’s moral foundation by passing the Igbo language, culture and ethical values to younger generations.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze (SAN), declared the programme open and underscored the importance of teaching children the Igbo language and instilling sound moral values from an early age.
He described language as the strongest symbol of cultural identity, warning that any Igbo person who could no longer speak the language or pass it on to their children risked losing their roots.
Organisers said the Train-the-Trainers Capacity Development Programme was designed to equip community leaders, educators, youth mentors and women leaders with the skills needed to promote character development, cultural consciousness and value-based leadership across Igbo-speaking communities.
Nkata Ndi Iyom Igbo and the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of the Igbo people, strengthening shared values and raising a new generation of leaders committed to integrity, community development and cultural pride.
