Obong of Calabar Executive Forum has called on the West African Examination Council, WAEC, to reinstate the Efik language in their curriculum.
The Forum also appealed to schools in Nigeria to teach the language.
In a statement signed by chairman of the Forum, Gershom Henshaw, they raised alarm over the delisting of Efik language from WAEC curriculum, describing the development as an assault on the Efik people.
Henshaw maintained that Efik language is one of the widely spoken indigenous languages in Nigeria, with a well developed orthography which was used in translating the Bible in the 19th century, as well as in news translation in the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, in the 1960s to 1980s and wondered why it should be dropped from WAEC syllabus now.
They listed efforts to sustain the Efik language to forestall its extinction, including the institution of scholarship to students offering Efik language in WAEC and special allowances for Efik language teachers.
According to him, retired Efik language teachers are to be recalled to teach, as well as encourage the airing of Efik language programmes on radio and television, among others.
Henshaw expressed displeasure at how Efik language students were given Igbo question papers in WAEC examination to write in place of Efik subject, saying such was totally unacceptable and should not repeat.
He assured that they will make available enough number of candidates for Efik language examination to meet WAEC’s requirements, adding that the palace of the Obong of Calabar was poised to ensure that Efik language does not go into extinction.
