Bayelsa Governor Diri Supports Ijaw Language App Initiative

At the Ijaw Language Awareness Summit held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, pledged his administration’s support for the newly developed Ijaw Language App, Dayama Demo. The summit, themed “Reviving The Izon Language: Heritage, Our Identity, Our Future,” was part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of the state's creation.

Diri expressed concern over the extinction of the Ijaw language and urged Bayelsans to actively work towards its revival. He commended Ijaw music artist Asu Ekiye for organizing the summit and announced that it would become an annual event.

Diri called on private organizations to support efforts in promoting the Ijaw language and directed the Commissioner for Education to facilitate Ijaw language quizzes and debates in schools. He noted that the revival initiative began under his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, who adopted the Kolokuma dialect as the official language in 2018.