It started with good intentions.
One Saturday morning, my spouse and I looked at each other and decided: “Enough is enough — these children must learn Igbo.”
We were tired of hearing “Mommy, what’s ‘Kedu’ again?”
Tired of the blank stares when grandma spoke.
Tired of watching our heritage dissolve into Roblox updates and dance challenges.
So, we printed out flashcards.
Sat them down.
And began.
Day 1: The Introduction
Us: “Okay, children. Repeat after me: Igbo bu nke anyi.”
Kids: “Igbo boo… boo… What now?”
Us: “Igbo bu nke anyi means ‘Igbo is ours’.”
Their faces said it all.
They weren’t convinced.
Day 2: Emoji Confusion
We tried using Google Translate — a noble but clearly misguided attempt.
Our 10-year-old looked up and said,
“So… ‘ọkụ’ means fire? 🔥”
“Yes,” we replied.
She responded with:
“Cool. Then ‘I’m angry’ is… ọkụ plus 😡?”
And that’s when we knew.
We weren’t just teaching a new language — we were fighting an entire operating system.
Day 3: Grandma’s Intervention
We brought in reinforcements — Grandma via WhatsApp video call.
She smiled wide:
“Ọmụmụ m! Kedu?”
They smiled back.
Then… turned the phone to us.
“Mommy, can you translate?”
Sigh.
The Shift
We realized then: our kids weren’t rejecting the language — they just didn’t have context.
We were giving them words, but not stories.
Sentences, but not meaning.
So we did something radical.
We enrolled in Ivoryland Support’s Language & Culture Class — as a family.
(Yes, even us parents.)
Through songs, storytelling, roleplay, and yes, the occasional emoji, something clicked.
Our children didn’t just learn Igbo — they felt Igbo.
A New Kind of Conversation
Last week, our daughter said to Grandma on a call:
“Ị nọọla nke ọma?”
Grandma gasped.
I cried.
The emojis were gone — replaced by real connection.
Here’s what we learned:
Teaching language is not about memorizing words.
It’s about opening a door — to identity, to history, to belonging. Even UNESCO emphasizes the urgent need to protect indigenous languages, and for us, teaching Igbo became a mission to keep our heritage alive — even if it meant translating “Chineke” into “OMG” the first few weeks
And if you’re wondering if it’s too late…
It’s not.
Your child doesn’t need to be fluent by tomorrow.
They just need to begin.
Ready to get started?
🌍 Explore our Language & Math Support programs for Nigerian diaspora kids
📝 Enroll now
📞 Toll-Free: +1 (866) 225 1383
