SOCIO-LONGUSTIC INQUIRY ON OKOROSHI LANGUAGE

Abstract

Organizations, Institutions, groups and individuals use certain languages that are peculiar to such group or sect. Peoples outside the group or set could hardly  understand the members when they speak such peculiar language. Language on the other hand is an important aspect of a groups culture. The researchers set out to identify the Okoroshi language of Agwa clan, Imo State of Nigeria and its impact on Okoroshi cult’s members. The objectives of the study include: Identifying the language of Okoroshi of Agwa Clan and identifying the reasons for using such language by Okoroshi Masquerade. The researchers equally identified the challenges such languages could not be spoken by everybody. The researchers made use of historical and case study designs, where reports on Okonsho language existed and existing where randomly examined. The findings showed that despite the low level of patronage in recent times, there is still the need for this important aspect of the people’s culture to be preserved, especially in this era of culture extinction. There is also need to revive this aspect f the Agwa culture and bring it to modernization in this twenty-first (21^st) century. Hence, it is recommended that Okoroshi language should be spoken by everybody (members and non members) and integrates it as part of the peoples’ language culture.