Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Professor Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, has expressed regrets that over 20 indigenous languages in Nigeria have gone into extinct.

Ndimele disclosed this in Port Harcourt while speaking at the 2021 World Poetry Day celebration organised by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), the Readers Association of Nigeria (RAN) and the Nigeria Literary Society (NLS).

The Vice Chancellor, who was represented by the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Professor Kingdom Orji, said in Rivers State, two indigenous languages belonging to the people of Nkoro as well as the people of Opobo and Bonny Kingdoms have gone into extinct.

Ndimele, who expressed the hope that with Literature and Poetry, the lost indigenous languages could be revived, commended the three organizations for continually sensitising Nigerians and reminding them about Poetry.

In his welcome speech, ANA Chairman in Rivers State, Dr. Adi Wali, called on the federal and state governments to make the study of Literature compulsory in the curricular of schools in the country.

Wali said: “Literature should made compulsory in our schools’ curricular. It should be called Alternative English. If you don’t read Literature, you can’t write it. You must be compelled to read. One subject you cannot cheat in is Literature.

“Why literature should be made compulsory is that without Literature, you cannot write English language, without Literature you cannot read Law, without Literature you cannot do Mass Communication. There a a lot of other courses you cannot do without Literature.”