By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
A quiet but determined cultural revolution is underway in Delta State as the Itsekiri language returns to classrooms across Warri and other riverine communities, with over 70 schools now actively teaching the language to pupils and students. What began as a palace-endorsed initiative under the watchful guidance of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has evolved into a community-driven movement to rescue a heritage many feared was fading.
The initiative, spearheaded by passionate Itsekiri professionals and volunteers, is designed to revive the language among the younger generation and embed it into formal education. With a structured curriculum, specially designed textbooks, and support from traditional rulers, the effort is gaining momentum.
“Many of our children today speak only English or pidgin at home. If this continues, the Itsekiri language might disappear completely in a few generations,” said one of the project coordinators. “We felt a deep responsibility to intervene now.”
The programme has seen 54 public schools 51 primary and 23 secondary enrolled in the first phase, with more schools showing interest. Teachers have been recruited and trained from within the Itsekiri-speaking communities, ensuring familiarity with both the language and the cultural context.
A major driver behind the project is the Olu of Warri, whose vision for cultural preservation sparked the movement. “This initiative would not have come this far without His Majesty’s blessing,” one organizer said. “He instructed that the language be adopted, spoken, and taught again. That gave us the moral and traditional mandate to move forward.”
Letters of notification and support were sent to key stakeholders, including the Delta State Governor, Ministry of Education, and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). According to the team, the governor is aware and supports the idea, which aligns with ongoing efforts to promote mother tongue education in Nigeria, as advocated by the National Policy on Education.
Beyond language classes, the programme also seeks to rebuild pride in identity. “Our children need to know where they come from,” said an Itsekiri teacher involved in the project. “Teaching them the language helps them connect with their history, customs, and values.”
To keep the programme sustainable, a monitoring system is being set up to track progress, especially in hard-to-reach riverine areas. The team is also developing standardised lesson notes to ensure uniformity in content delivery.
Parents, some of whom can barely speak Itsekiri themselves, are expressing hope that their children will become the bridge to reconnect with their roots. “My daughter came home the other day singing an Itsekiri folk song,” said a mother in Warri. “I never taught her that. The school did. It moved me to tears.”
The momentum continues to grow, with private schools already reaching out to join the programme. Meanwhile, plans are in place to induct the newly trained teachers this Friday in a public event to encourage them and promote community ownership of the project.
As part of its international outreach, a Gala Night themed Language: An Invaluable Tool for Cultural Preservation will be held in London on July 26, 2025, drawing attention to the broader challenge of indigenous language extinction in the diaspora.
At the heart of the initiative is a simple message: language is not just a tool for communication—it is the soul of a people. The Itsekiri nation, backed by its traditional leadership and passionate educators, is not just teaching a language. It is restoring identity, dignity, and generational memory.
“Let us speak our language without shame,” one elder declared. “Because when the language dies, a people disappear.”