During a 1 September 2000 telephone interview the Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) stated that the Ijaw people speak Ijaw (Ijo), but do not speak Igbo, not even as a second language. The only exception is in the Boni area of Rivers State where some Ijaw do speak Igbo as a second language.

A 24 May 1991 Chicago Tribune article on Nigerian schooling conducted in traditional languages reported on a government initiative to translate school textbooks into Nigerian languages that included Ijaw. A 7 August 2000 Newswatch report refers to "Deltans" [persons in Delta State] that are "Ijaw-speaking" and others who are "Igbo-speaking." A 19 May 1997 article from Theweek refers to "Ijaw-speaking" persons in Bayelsa State. A 21 April 1997 IPS report refers to an "Ijaw-speaking" area in Warri South.

For additional information on the Ijo (Ijaw, Izon, Izo Uzo) language, as well as the Igbo (Ibo) language, please consult Ethnologue available in Regional Documentation Centres.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Chicago Tribune. 24 May 1991. Kenneth B. Noble. "Nigeria Debates Shift From Official English." (NEXIS)

Ijaw Youth Council. 1 September 2000. Telephone interview with Secretary General.

Inter Press Service (IPS). 21 April 1997. Remi Oyo. "Nigeria-Politics: Communal Feud Flares on in Oil Region." (NEXIS)

Newswatch [Lagos]. 7 August 2000. "Nigeria; We're Now Disarming Angry Youths in the Niger-Delta." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Theweek. 19 May 1997. Wisdom Dike. "A Stab in the Back ... " (The Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)