Amarachi Attamah-Ugwu’s journey is a testament to resilience. She embodies the universal narrative of vision, relentless pursuit of a goal, and overcoming all obstacles and doubters. She set out to entertain with the unique and captivating Igbo culture, using the Igbo language as her primary tool. Despite initial derision, she persevered.
On Saturday, 24 August 2024, the Ogbako Umunwanyi Igbo Worldwide Foundation honoured her with the garland of Eziada Igbo gburugburu (accomplished daughter of the Igbo worldwide) at Nnewi, Anambra State. It was the latest in a long stream of honours and plaudits to Amarachi Attamah for choosing the least trodden path.
She responded: “This honour is more than a personal achievement; it symbolises our heritage’s vibrant legacy and enduring power. Receiving this title strengthens my resolve to advocate for and celebrate our rich culture globally. I am immensely grateful to the Ọgbakọ Ụmụnwaanyị Worldwide Foundation for this honour and to all who have supported my mission. Your encouragement and support motivate me to continue working tirelessly to ensure the richness of our Igbo identity thrives across generations. Let us all continue to sound our gongs, raise our voices, and celebrate the beauty of Igbo culture together. Daalụ, and here’s to more milestones in our shared cultural preservation and promotion journey!”
She recalled that many asked her derisively, “Eji Igbo eme gini?” What would you do with this Igbo language? She positively answered the question: eji Igbo aga uwa nine. I will travel and conquer the world with the Igbo language and customs.
Amarachi Attamah-Ugwu has indeed travelled the world. Her current address and designation are Igbo Language Instructor at two top-tier Ivy League universities, Harvard and Yale.
She is in the African Languages Program (ALP) in the Department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. She also teaches the Igbo language at the Directed Independent Language Study (DILS) program at the Yale Center for Language Study, Yale University.
Amarachi is a chant performer, poet, broadcaster, mother tongue advocate, seeker, researcher, culture anthropologist, and mentor for the SOUND YOUR GONG program. Her diverse roles and interests, from indigenous language sustainability to culture curation, memory and intangible heritage preservation, showcase her versatility and depth of knowledge.
Her performances and research have taken her to various countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, the United Kingdom (where she completed a four-month performance fellowship with the British Royal National Theatre), and the USA. She has left a mark in these places, including the Gendering Africa Symposium, an annual Africa Women Conference at Columbia University, and the Performance Across Identities 2021 in the United States.
Amarachi completed a Research, Education, and Interpretation Fellowship/Internship at the Frontier Culture Museum for the West Africa Exhibit (Igbo Village) in Staunton, Virginia, USA. She then graduated in Museum Studies and Cultural Heritage Preservation from the Ivy League Syracuse University, New York.
Amarachi states, “My core interests are indigenous language sustainability, culture curation, and intangible heritage preservation. I am passionate about Indigenous identity sustainability through different creative usage forms.
“Being an Igbo Culture consultant, researcher, and language and culture curator enables me to experience my interests from diverse perspectives. My PhD interests are in pan-African studies and Ethnomusicology. I wish to critically analyse and document African chanting and folklore, using Igbo Chanting as a case study.
“Over the years, I have also actively built networks of young sustainability voices—artists, performers, translators, and language educators—through festivals, workshops, competitions, and mentorship programmes.
“Currently, I am using my social platforms to encourage the study of the language by supporting Igbo language students across different universities. This has gathered over 50 students, now brought together in a WhatsApp group to receive career guides and encouragement.”
Amarachi and her colleague Charles Ogbu revived interest in the life and work of Igbo folklore artist Mike Ejeagha. They launched a social media campaign to repaint his home and celebrate his 92nd birthday, which highlighted the gentleman’s music and contributions. Two years later, Ejeagha’s music is streaming globally.
Her birth and upbringing in Northern Nigeria were among the influences. She told Onyedikachukwu Asadu in one of the prime interviews with She Leads Africa.
“I was born in Northern Nigeria and grew up amongst people who know who they are and are proud of it. As a child in that environment, I would tell you that I never saw a northern child that couldn’t speak their indigenous language, be it Hausa, Gwari, Nupe or whatever. They speak their language. They were always proud of their local food or dressing.
However, returning to the East, I noticed it was different; we were not even proud of our names. This got me worried, and I resolved that the negative trend of denying our culture had to stop. I am proud of my identity and culture and must make others see the same. I thought, ‘Perhaps I should bring in this consciousness.’
Honestly, I can’t tell when it started. I didn’t do well in Igbo Language in my WAEC. While doing my NYSC, I was already fluent in the standard Igbo language. It used to be advanced fluency in my local dialect (Nsukka) but not the standard Igbo. I published my first novella in 2007, and during that time, I met the literary icon Professor Anezi Okoro (God bless his soul), who encouraged me to write in Igbo. In 2014, I published my first Igbo short story collection. Despite my challenges in speaking and writing the Igbo standard language, I remained resilient and kept learning. I decided to dress in Igbo attire and make Igbo hairstyles and studied everything Igbo.
During that time, I started thinking of how to present my poetry, and when I started displaying my craft on stage, I got a good response! I never planned it, but I saw the opportunity, so I started creating awareness about the Igbo language and culture. I went to secondary schools, talking to students, teachers, and parents, persuading them to speak the Igbo language.
From there, we were inspired to organise festivals where schools made presentations and cultural displays in the Igbo language. It was an annual event that hosted about 2000 people and more. Then, we published a collection of poems rendered by students. Gradually, people started coming around and getting involved with what we did. We have not gotten there yet, but we have engaged the community, increased their consciousness, and restored the dignity of the Igbo race.”
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