By Nathan Eyagu 

Iteso speaking people have been advised to embrace and keep their language alive.

While addressing audience during the launch of the book titled the wrath of a tree at the Ateso language symposium in Soroti Hotel yesterday's evening Sunday,05th,2023, Mercy Apio a member of National centre for curriculum development,said that most people are running away from their language and are adopting the foreign languages and yet Ateso is a great language that iteso should continue embracing.

According to the former Ambassador for Uganda in India and Rome H.E Akello Grace, "Language is what makes us recognized every where, keep your language alive and let's not bring things that divide us,let's remain united, language is a highly valuable asset for political, economic domination", 

"We need to learn our language so that we don't get lost from the globe as Ateso can be learnt till the PHD level",

She further added that young people should play an important role of keeping the language growing and urged media houses to use the space available to promote the language.

Pascal Amuriat a renowned Ateso book writer pointed out that the small number of Ateso teachers in the region is one of the reasons as why the language is not spoken alot.

Onapito Ekomoloit the Legal and Corporate Affairs Director at Nile Breweries who was the chief guest during the book launch said that "If Ateso language is not there then there are no Iteso and the clan (ateker), there is no way you can have a language with out culture, the way people talk is the way they act,there are some words that never used to be in Ateso language and today they are spoken as Ateso,to rescue that, we need to stretch the language", 

He also added that a new Ateso contemporary dictionary should be introduced so as it captures new words that some iteso use in some places and a digital library so that the young generation can access it easily.

"It's true people don't speak Ateso but prefer other languages , it sadly shows that people are not glad to be Iteso as they look for gain and status in language, we need to make ateso cool again, even 99% of the music played is not from Teso, the cultural music is also disappearing", he added.