Anselem Anokwute
Credence to the Man behind the General Igbo Alphabetical language, coinage and arrangement to the unification of the mother tongues into one acceptable Igbo language A B CH D I, called “Ọnwu Ọtọgịrafi” in high schools according to Igbo Language Linguistic Experts.
This is a Man, late Dr. Simon Ọnwụ, first Medical Doctor from Igbo Extractions and the First Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health and a reformer and author of the general acceptable Igbo Language Alphabet. He deserved to be collectively celebrated in Igbo land and regarded as the father of Igbo language.
Brief extract on the issue that makes the name of Mazi Onwu Loud in the Igbo linguistic history, in 1854, Karl Lepsius autographed African languages including Igbo so they can be written.
The Church Missionary Society (Anglican) adopted the Lepsius autography. However, the alphabets had only 6 vowels which does not capture all the vowels in Igbo language.
Hence, in 1927, the International Institute of African Languages and Cultures (IIALC) published the Practical Orthography of African Languages. This had 8 vowels. The Catholic adopted this.
Then, the two alphabets existed side by side. Anglicans vs Catholics. To have an agreement in Igbo alphabet, the government and stakeholders from the two parties organized a committee to draft a unified Igbo alphabet.
The committee was headed by Dr Simon Ezevuo Onwu. On November 28th 1953, the committee released the current version of Igbo alphabet. They published it as “Onwu Autography” in 1961.
Who is Dr Simon Onwu?
He’s the First medical doctor in Igbo land.
Dr. Simon Ezevuo Onwu was born on 28 December 1908 in Affa in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
He was the son of Amadi Ọnwụbunta of Amọzalla Affa in Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.
In 1927, he joined the University of Edinburgh Medical School, UK and obtained the degrees of MB and ChB in 1932. The first medical doctor from Igbo land.
Dr. Ọnwụ also obtained the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the University of Liverpool, UK, in 1932.
Thereafter, he got Licentiate in Midwifery frim Coombe Hospital in the Republic of Ireland.
After studies, he returned to Nigeria in 1933 and joined the Colonial Civil Service as a junior medical officer. He worked as a medical officer in different parts of Nigeria for 27 years.
In 1948, he returned to Britain for a postgraduate course and in 1950 became Senior Medical Officer in Aba. He was promoted two years later to the grade of Deputy Director of Medical Services in the Eastern Region. In 1957, he became the first African Director of Medical Services in Eastern Region, holding the post along with that of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health until he retired from the Public Service in 1963.
In 1953, Dr Onwu was awarded the Coronation Medal and in 1954 and 1956 Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom created him an Officer of Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Member of the Royal Vatican Order respectively in recognition of his contributions and achievements. In recognition of his devout life as a Catholic, he was awarded the Papal Order of the Knight of Saint Sylvester by Pope Paul VI.
He died at St Bart’s Hospital, London on 4 June 1969 and was buried in his Enugu home resident.
