EXPLORING IGBO IDENTITY AND CULTURE IN MULTILINGUAL NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria is a multilingual nation comprising diverse ethnic nationalities, each with its distinct identity and cultural markers. This diversity has made it a multicultural society. This paper explores Igbo people identity and culture in multilingual Nigeria. With respect to language identity, the study investigates how Igbo language, the language of the Igbo ethnic group, interacts with over 500 other languages in Nigeria and the challenges arising from this interaction. Concerning cultural identity, the paper examines selected traditions and unique cultural practices that define Igbo identity and distinguish it from other Nigerian cultures. The data, collected mainly through elicitation and observation, were analyzed descriptively. One of the study’s findings is that the Igbo language remains the primary marker of Igbo identity. However, it is burdened by the negative attitudes of many of its firstlanguage (L1) speakers. Although the language is one of the three major Nigerian languages and is spoken by about 40 million people, some native speakers no longer transmit it to their children due to a preference for English, which has been accorded high prestige status in Nigeria. Another finding is that, apart from language, there are distinctive cultural elements and practices that set the Igbo ethnic group apart. These include traditional foods such as bitterleaf soup, pounded cassava, dried cocoyam, local beans, breadfruit, ogili ugba/egwusi, mbụgụ ede, and ọgbara ọti; traditional dressing—particularly red and woven caps, isiagu attire worn by men, and wrapper-and-blouse attire worn by women; masquerade performances; and the New Yam Festival. The paper concludes that, despite the multiplicity of cultures and languages in Nigeria, Igbo identity remains distinct through its language and rich cultural heritage.