By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

The President General of the Obosi Development Union (ODU), Barr. Chimezie Obi, has thrown his weight behind the forthcoming Obosi dialect quiz competition, saying the initiative will save the Obosi dialect of the Igbo language from becoming extinct.

The town union leader made the comment when he addressed journalists in his office at Obosi, Anambra state on April 3, 2026.

The maiden edition of the Obosi dialect quiz competition, which emanated from Pharm. Obi Egbuonye’s “Revive Obosi Dialect Project”, is scheduled to take place at the Obosi town hall on Easter Monday, which is April 6, 2026.

Speaking ahead of the competition, Obi stated that the competition would promote Obosi dialect of the Igbo language, which in turn, would prevent Igbo language from dying.

“It will promote the Obosi dialect of the Igbo language and prevent the Igbo language from dying, too.

“And the Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition will bring Obosi people, who are adepts at speaking the Obosi dialect of the Igbo language together, which will enable younger generations of Obosi indigenes to learn the Obosi dialect,” Obi said.

Again, Nze Isaac Ejindu, who will lead team Uruowulu village to the competition, hailed Obi Egbuonye, who is the initiator of the “Revive Obosi Dialect Project”; Eric Anyamene Foundation (ENAF) ; and the Obosi Development Union (ODU) for collaborating to organize the Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition.

“I am thanking individuals and organizations, who collaborated to organize this competition.

“This competition will project our Obosi dialect of the Igbo language to the world; and it will make natives of Obosi feel proud and uninhibited to speak the Obosi dialect of the Igbo language,” Ejindu said.

Language, which is a component of culture, contains idioms, proverbs, and riddles, which are moral guides for training children within a cultural milieu. That is why Obi Egbuonye’s “Revive Obosi Dialect Project” should be supported and sustained.

As to the competition, each of the five villages that make up the Obosi ancient kingdom will present four contestants for the competition. And the village that wins the competition as well as the first and second runners-up will receive princely sums of money.

More so, to spice up the event, two Obosi masquerade dance groups, namely Ajukwu Obosi and Ogba Mgbada, will perform for the spectators before the commencement of the competition.

The maiden edition of the Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition will be beamed live to the people(s) of the world by Africa Independent Television (AIT).

•Chiedu Uche Okoye is of the Anambra Ministry of Information.