Welcome To
Etsako Language Research and Development Centre
- we are dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Afemai people. Our centre serves as a hub for language research, development, and educational initiatives aimed at revitalizing the Afemai language for future generations.
Etsako Language R&D Center
The Introduction
The Edo state government approved that a central language be selected in each of its three senatorial districts. For this reason, the published Etsako language book for schools was not approved in the year 2014 for the Etsako local government areas but was asked to obtain concurrence from the other two groups of Owan and Akoko Edo. This resulted to organizing Afemai Language Board and later Afemai Central Language Seminar held at the Main Auditorium Polytechnics on the 5th – 7th April, 2021. It was released that a central language was overdue, and it is urgently required to preserve our mother-tongue.
It is apparent that all the dialects in Edo north are fast going into extinction and the only remedy is to develop a central language for teaching and learning. For a language to be approved by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), it must have a large population of students. That is the reason the Western part of Nigeria with over 26 languages chose Oyo, developed it as Yoruba language for the entire Yoruba land with about 6 states; the Eastern Nigeria with over 30 languages decided to use Owerri dialect for the Igbo people; and the Hausa with many states and a vast land decided to use Kano dialect as the single Hausa language for the entire Northern Nigeria. If these tribes with many states and vast land should agree to have one language each, then it will be wise for Afemai to choose one dialect for Edo North Senatorial District. In order to adopt the concept of the three major tribes in Nigeria, it will be necessary for Afemai or Edo North Senatorial District to choose one language and develop it as the central language for Afemai.
As Afemai people migrated from Benin and moved around, interact with those of other languages, some modifications do appear which leads to variants of the languages known as dialects, that are considered as separate and distinct languages. Almost all Afemai people are migrants from Benin kingdom and were known as Ivbiosakon who spoke one language which is used to identify them as the same ethnic characteristics and language but splitted into three district area known as Etsako, Owan and Akoko-Edo.
If the tribes in Nigeria with many states and vast areas of land agree to use one dialect as their central language, then there is nothing wrong for Edo North Senatorial District to use one dialect as her central language. For this reason, Etsako is chosen while Owan and Akoko-Edo are synonyms. This has made the Afemai Lexicon to be robust and is able to translate a large portion of the English language.
In the development of the Afemai counting numbers, it has reached the zenith of 3604 digits which is higher than the English number known as millinillion, that is 3004 digits. Books on animals have been published, also plants and trees, for teaching in the tertiary are available in Afemai Language.
About
Etsako Language R&D Center
Etsako Language Research and Development Centre is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of Nigeria for the purpose of developing the Etsako language as a central language for the Afemai people.
The Centre is determined to sustain the Afemai language by providing textbooks and other literary materials to be studied in schools from nursery to tertiary institutions. It aims at developing the language to be able to compete with other languages in the universe.
So far, a remarkable feat of numeral is on display in the book “ETSAKO NEW NUMERALS AND WORDS and AFEMAI NUMERALS AND LARGE NUMBERS.” The book has broken the limitation of the old Etsako counting system inherited from our ancestors. Before now, our counting ended in hundred. The new innovated numeral as displayed in the two books have placed us among the indigenous languages that can count above trillion.
Etsako numeral today has reached the peak of three thousand, six hundred and four digits. We have produced books for use, for primary, secondary and tertiary institution which have been approved by the Edo State Government Ministry of Education.
AIMS
To research into various dialects in Afemai with the purpose of resuscitating our language and culture which is fast going into extinction.
Etsako Language Research and Development Centre has produced books for train teachers, give public lectures and teach the language on Radio and Television for the purpose of motivating the people’s interest.
OBJECTIVES
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Language Revitalization: We are committed to revitalizing the Afemai language by developing standardized linguistic resources, including dictionaries, grammar guides, and language learning materials.
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Educational Outreach: Our center conducts workshops, seminars, and educational programs to promote Afemai language learning and literacy in schools, communities, and academic institutions.
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Research and Documentation: We conduct research on Afemai linguistics, dialects, and cultural practices to document and preserve our linguistic heritage for future generations.
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Collaboration and Partnerships: We collaborate with local communities, government agencies, and academic institutions to support language revitalization initiatives and promote the use of Afemai in various domains.
AFEMAI
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Afemai lies approximately between Longitudes 5’300E and Latitude 6’300N. Politically, afemai is the North-Senatorial district of Edo State. Afemai is an ethnic group of people that occupy six local government areas: (Etsako East, Etsako West, Etsako Central, Owan East, Owan West and Akoko-Edo) which form a senatorial district in the northern part of Edo state, south of Nigeria. It was formally called the kukuruku division of the Midwestern state. It is situated on the Western bank of the River Niger, bounded in the North by Kogi state, on the West by Ondo State and the Southern part on Esan, Uhunmwonde, Ovie North East Local Governments.
Afemai land has a pleasant climate of an average temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Two seasons run through each year; the dry season and the rainy season.