
Ibo also spelled IGBO is one of the most prominent languages in modern day Nigeria. It belongs to the Benue-Congo subgroup of the Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, and Igbo language family.
The Ibo language is found primarily in Nigeria, specifically in the south-eastern part of the country where an estimated 20 million people speak it. A variety of dialects exist within the Ibo language. A
standardised version of the Ibo language was not developed until 1972.
It is well-known for its literary contributions, thanks to the success of the Ibo writers such as Chinua Achebe and Cyprian Ekwensi. Chinua Achebe gained global recognition and praise for his novel “Things Fall Apart”, which portrayed pre-colonial Ibo life.
Ekpere Aririọ Uku
Site n’isi Ihe nime echiche Chineke,
Ka Ihe kwoputa ba n’echiche umu madu,
Ka Ihe ridata n’uwa.
Site n’isi Ihunanya nime obi Chineke,
Ka Ihunanya kwoputa ba n’obi umu madu,
Ka Christ we ridata n’elu uwa.
Site n’etiti ebe amara ọchichọ Chineke,
Ka ezi uche duzie umu ọchichọ nike umu madu,
Ezi uche ahu nke Onye-new-ayi mara ma nome.
Site n’etiti ebe ayi nakpọ agburu umu madu,
Ka nkwadobe nile nke Ihe na Ihunanya puta,
Ya biko rachie ọnu uzọ ebe njọ bi.
Ka Ihe na Ihunanya na Ike doghachi,
nkwadobe n’elu uwa.