The Esan, kindred of late foremost politician and elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, have warned that their language and cultural values may go extinct if urgent steps are not taken to ensure that it was vigorously taught in schools.

Esan people at a national conference, held under the aegis of Ikolo Esan, an umbrella socio-cultural organisation, formed to promote the interest of the people, in Ekpoma, Edo State, expressed fear that the Esan language may die because their children were not being encouraged to speak the language.

A communiqué by Professor Gabriel Oteze, Chairman of Ikolo Esan and Dr Onohoomhen Ebhohimhen, chairman of the communiqué drafting committee, said “Esan language is now threatened because it is not widely spoken. It is now dying because people believe it is some status symbol to speak English. Unless our people speak Esan, it will die like Latin. At least you can still learn and read Latin.

But Esan is not taught in any schools. Even those born in Esanland can’t speak Esan. We need to speak and teach the language. People are also abbreviating Esan names in such a way that it is becoming damaging.”

They also decried the collapse of agriculture in the area and the hijack of 70 per cent of the fertile land by moneybags.