Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of CEOAFRICA, a leading online media organization and a current member of the African Languages Week Coordinating Committee (ALWCC). has called on government at all levels to prioritize the development and implementation of policies and innovative teaching and learning methods that promote Nigeria’s diverse languages. “For Nigeria to witness unprecedented development, the use of our major languages—Hausa, Igbo, Yorùbá, and others—must be encouraged in all domains of life,” he emphasized.
In a stirring address to commemorate the 4th Edition of the African Languages Week 2025 (ALW), which is from February 21 to 28, 2025, Prince Cletus, an expert in promoting African languages on the cyberspace, reiterated the significance of language in fostering national growth.
The media guru used the occasion to congratulate the African Union, Nigeria President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian populace, the Executive Secretary of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), Dr. Lang Fafa Dampha, the Chair, Mrs. Margaret Makinga, and all members of the ALWCC for their efforts in celebrating and preserving African languages—an essential part of the continent’s heritage. “I congratulate the Executive Secretary of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), Dr. Lang Fafa Dampha, the Chair, Mrs. Margaret Makinga, members of ALWCC and the entire Africans on the occassion of the 4th Edition of African Languages Week 2025”.
The theme of this year’s conference, “African Languages: Voices for Reparations, Justice, and Dignity for the Africa We Want,” highlights the fundamental role that African languages play in advocating for social justice and restoring dignity to the people of African descent. By focusing on the importance of language in reclaiming cultural identity and addressing historical injustices, the week aims to promote reparations and empowerment through linguistic inclusivity. Additionally, it emphasizes harnessing African languages for digital transformation, ensuring that technology becomes a tool for inclusion rather than exclusion in society.
He urged all Nigerians and the broader African continent to unite in their aspiration to build a vibrant Nigeria and a prosperous Africa. “May our languages continue to unite us for a peaceful, prosperous, and healthy Africa,” he remarked, emphasizing the week’s slogan: “My language, my heritage, my dignity.”
The mission of African Languages Week (ALW) is to create a robust collaborative platform for the promotion of African languages and to advance language and digital rights through advocacy and education. Prince Cletus’s passionate appeal reinforces the idea that language preservation is vital not only for cultural identity but also for driving socio-economic progress in Africa, stating, “Let us work together to ensure that our languages thrive in the digital age, empowering future generations with their rich heritage.”
