Izon language

Izon
Ịzọn
Native toNigeria
RegionRivers State, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo and Edo States
Native speakers
2.4 million (2020)[1]
Niger–Congo?
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3ijc
Glottologizon1238
ELPIzon

Izon (Ịzọn), also known as (Central–Western) Ijo, Ijaw, Izo and Uzo, is the dominant Ijaw language, spoken by a majority of the Ijaw people of Nigeria.[2][3]

There are about thirty dialects, all mutually intelligible, of which there are Gbanran, Ekpetiama and Kolokuma etc. Kolokuma is the language of education.[1]

In June 2013, the Izon Fie instructional book and audio CDs were launched at a ceremony attended by officials of the government of Bayelsa State.[4] The government of Bayelsa State official employed 30 teachers to teach the Izon language in primary schools in the state in order to save the language from extinction.[5]

  1. ^ a b Izon at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. ^ "Who are the Izons | Izon Ebi Association". Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Being Ijaw in the UK: An oddity among fellow Nigerian youth". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  4. ^ Garba, Kabir Alabi (8 June 2013). "Izon Fie… Popularising An Indigenous Tongue". The Guardian Nigeria. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Bayelsa moves to save Izon language from extinction". Vanguard News. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

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