Igbo: A Language of Proverbs, Tones and Determined Revival

In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, a famous line says that among the Igbo, the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and "proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten." Achebe wrote that novel in English. But behind it lies a language famous for exactly that love of proverbs, wit and careful speech: Igbo, one of Africa's major languages.

Who speaks Igbo?

Igbo (also written Ibo in older sources) is spoken mainly in southeastern Nigeria, in states such as Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi, and in parts of Delta and Rivers States. It is the first language of tens of millions of people, making it one of the largest languages in Africa, and it is spoken by a large diaspora in Lagos, Abuja, London, Houston and beyond. It is one of Nigeria's three major languages, alongside Hausa and Yoruba.

Igbo belongs to the Niger-Congo family and is part of the same broad group as Yoruba, though the two languages are not mutually intelligible.

A tonal language with many dialects

Like Yoruba, Igbo is a tonal language: the pitch of each syllable changes the meaning of a word. For example, depending on tone, akwa can mean "cloth," "crying," "egg" or "bridge." Igbo also has a system of vowel harmony, in which the vowels in a word match each other in certain ways.

Igbo has many dialects, which can differ significantly from town to town. For much of the 20th century, debates raged over which form should become the standard written language. Missionaries created an artificial mixture called "Union Igbo" for an early Bible translation, which many speakers found awkward — and which Chinua Achebe later criticised. Over time, a Standard Igbo developed, used in schools, books and broadcasting.

The modern writing system, the Ọnwụ orthography, was adopted in the early 1960s, using the Latin alphabet with dots under letters such as ị, ọ and ụ, and special combinations such as gb, kp, nw and ny.

Proverbs and oratory

Igbo culture places great value on eloquence. A respected elder or speaker uses ilu (proverbs) skilfully to make points, persuade listeners and show wisdom. Many Igbo proverbs are widely quoted, for example:

• Egbe bere, ugo bere — "Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch" — a call for tolerance and coexistence: anyone who denies the other its place, may its wing break.
• Onye aghana nwanne ya — "Let no one leave their sibling behind" — a call to solidarity.

Ceremonies such as the breaking of the kola nut, described in our story on the kola nut, are full of prayers and proverbs in Igbo.

Literature in Igbo

The first novel written in Igbo was Pita Nwana's Omenuko (1933), based on the life of a real trader and chief. Since then, Igbo writers have produced novels, poetry, plays and essays. Many of the best-known Igbo writers — Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and others — have written mainly in English, but they often use Igbo words, proverbs and rhythms, and have championed the language. Igbo-language music, Nollywood films and radio remain popular.

Concerns and revival

In recent decades, many Igbo parents, especially in cities and abroad, have spoken English to their children, believing it would help them succeed. As a result, many young people understand Igbo but do not speak it fluently. Scholars and community leaders have warned about the language's future, and debates about how "endangered" it really is continue.

In response, a strong revival movement has grown:

• Igbo language clubs, schools and online classes.
• Igbo apps, podcasts and YouTube channels.
• BBC News Igbo, launched in 2018.
• Festivals and campaigns promoting Igbo names, songs and literature.

A few words of Igbo

• Ndewo — hello
• Kedụ? — how are you?
• Ọ dị mma — it is fine
• Daalụ — thank you
• Ka ọ dị — goodbye

Why it matters

Igbo carries a people's history, humour and philosophy — in its proverbs, tones and stories. Like Yoruba, described in our story on the Yoruba language, it shows how much meaning a language can hold. Its future depends on whether today's parents and children keep speaking it — and many are determined that they will.

Further reading

• E. Nolue Emenanjo, Elements of Modern Igbo Grammar (Oxford University Press Nigeria, 1978)
• Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (Heinemann, 1958)
• BBC News Igbo