Jason Njoku, has been called out by Twitter users after he revealed that he and his kids cannot speak his native language but he’s ensuring they learn French and then Mandarin.

The iROKO TV founder tweeted: “My children are currently learning French. Mandarin will be up next. I intend for them to develop this over the next 10 years. They can’t speak Igbo (neither can I). It’s okay. The world won’t shake from its foundations.”

His tweet began a conversation about appreciating our native language and heritage and ensuring that it doesn’t go extinct. Some Twitter users called him out for saying it’s OK that his kids can’t speak his native language yet he’s making it compulsory for them to learn other people’s languages. But some said they are his kids and he can raise them as he wants.

Below are some reactions to his tweets.

iROKO TV founder Jason Njoku has responded after he was criticized for teaching his kids French and Mandarin yet proudly stating that they can’t speak Igbo and it’s okay.

Mr. Njoku came under attack when he tweeted: “My children are currently learning French. Mandarin will be up next. I intend for them to develop this over the next 10 years. They can’t speak Igbo (neither can I). It’s okay. The world won’t shake from its foundations.”

Twitter users accused him of taking actions that will cause his kids not to know their roots. They also accused him of taking actions that will make the Igbo language go extinct.

The father-of-three has now replied. In his reply, he narrated the life experiences that shaped him and made him unable to speak his native language.

He revealed he has never met his father and even when he moved to Owerri as a teenager for 4 years to mingle with his relatives and know his roots, those same cousins called him “a bastard everyday”.

He added that he gave his kids native names and that’s what they go by.

As for those saying his actions will make the Igbo language go extinct, he said, “40m+ people speak Igbo. The language is never going to die. Please calm down now.”

Read his entire thread below.