Dr. Nonye Soludo, wife of the Anambra State governor and founder of the Healthy Living Initiative, has urged Nigerians to preserve indigenous languages, warning that many native tongues risk fading if speakers abandon everyday use.

She delivered the message in Awka to commemorate the 2026 International Mother Language Day, observed globally on February 21 to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education. This year’s theme, “Youth Voices on Multilingual Education,” focuses on the role younger generations play in sustaining local languages.

Soludo said the survival of any language depends primarily on those who speak it, encouraging citizens to use their mother tongues openly in homes, schools and communities rather than limiting communication to widely dominant languages.

Read also: Sit-At-Home: Again, Soludo Seals Shops, Commends Other Traders

“Mother language is a treasure that everyone should carry with pride. There is no shame in speaking your mother tongue and celebrating its beauty and uniqueness,” she said.

International Mother Language Day has been marked since 2000 to highlight the importance of cultural expression and communication in native languages. Linguists warn that many minority languages worldwide face decline when younger speakers shift to global or national languages for social and economic reasons.

Soludo noted that indigenous languages often disappear gradually when communities stop promoting and celebrating them. She said culture becomes incomplete when the language that conveys shared values and traditions weakens or disappears.

Read more: Soludo Visits Onitsha Market, Commends Traders For Opening

Language, she added, represents more than a communication tool, describing it as a marker of identity and belonging that supports participation within a community. She encouraged families to teach children local languages from an early age to ensure continuity across generations.

“Let no one tell you that you cannot speak it. Speak it. Cherish it. Be proud of it,” she said.

Her remarks come amid ongoing discussions in Nigeria’s education and cultural sectors about balancing multilingualism with global communication skills, as policymakers and educators consider ways to strengthen local language instruction while maintaining access to broader educational opportunities.