WAEC Syllabus for Igbo Language & Textbooks 2024/2025

The WAEC syllabus for the Igbo Language is the topic you must study to sit for the examination. It contains the aims and objectives, notes and format for the Igbo Language exam.

Studying the Igbo Language is necessary for your exam preparation. It will serve as a guide for you to know the topics to read. There are also notes on concepts you should pay attention to learning.

Exam preparations without using the Igbo Language are like going to the farm without your agricultural tools. You will end up not being productive.

Ensure you begin your exam preparations using the syllabus.

This post contains the Igbo Language and recommended textbooks of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

WAEC Igbo Language Syllabus

Sound knowledge of the Igbo language, literature and culture is a fundamental need for all who desire the comprehensive knowledge of the Igbo people. Based on this, the Igbo syllabus is designed for candidates studying Igbo.

Adequate care has been taken to ensure that candidates go through the rubrics of the Igbo language.

The syllabus covers such important areas of the language as the sound system, grammar, culture, worldview, etc.

Objectives of the Syllabus

The objectives of the syllabus are as follows:

• To enable candidates to speak, read and write Igbo properly and communicate effectively in it;
• To familiarize them with the sound system, grammatical structures and other features of the Igbo language;
• To expose the candidates to Igbo culture – customs, institutions, worldview, etc;
• To provide them with the necessary tools needed for creative writing and appreciation of the Igbo language and literature.

Scheme of Examination

The examination shall consist of  two papers, Papers 1 and 2; both of which shall constitute a composite paper and shall be taken at one sitting. The rubrics of the papers shall be written in Igbo. Candidates will be required to answer all the questions in Igbo using the standard orthography metalanguage.

PAPER 1 will consist of sixty multiple choice objective questions all of which should be answered within 1 hour for 60 marks. The paper will have three sections, Sections A, B and C. The questions in the sections will cover the following aspects of the subject:

• Section A: Language
• Section B: Literature
• Section C: Culture

Section A: Language

This will contain thirty multiple choice questions on language distributed as follows:

• Comprehension (2 short passages) – 10 items
• Composition/letter writing – 4 items
• Sound system – 6 items
• Grammar – 6 items
• Translation – 4 items

Section B:   Literature

It will contain twenty-two multiple-choice questions on literature distributed as follows:

Basic Principles of Literary Appreciation – 4 items

Oral Literature

• Prose – 3 items
• Poetry – 3 items
• Drama – 3 items

Written Literature

• Prose – 3 items
• Poetry – 3 items
• Drama – 3 items

In this section, all questions other than those on Basic Principles of Literary Appreciation will be based on the setbooks for Paper 2.

Section C: Culture

This will contain eight multiple choice questions on culture distributed as follows:

Customs – 4 items

Institutions – 4 items

TOTAL: (30+22+8) = 60 items

PAPER 2: Will be a composition test and will also have three sections, Section A, B and C.

The sections will cover the parts of the syllabus indicated below.

• Section A: Language
• Section B: Literature
• Section C: Culture

Candidates will be required to answer six out of the total of thirteen questions to be made available. The paper will take 2 hours to complete and carry 100 marks.

Further details on the structure of the paper as well as its requirements are given below.

Section A: Essay

This section will consist of the following three parts, Parts I, II and III:

• Part I     –   Composition/Letter writing
• Part II    –   Sound System
• Part III   –   Grammar

Part I: Composition/ Letter Writing

Candidates are advised not to spend more than 45 minutes on this section. There will be five topics from the following essay types and candidates will be expected to write on one of them in about 300 words:

• Narrative;
• Descriptive;
• Argumentative;
• Expository;
• Dialogue;
• Debate;
• Letter writing.

Part II: Sound system

Two questions will be set for candidates to answer one of them. The questions will test candidate’s basic knowledge of the following areas:

• Igbo Phonemes: Vowels, Consonants, the Syllabic nasal,

• their production, and
• their classification.

• Syllable Structure.

(c) Sound Processes: vowel harmony, vowel assimilation, vowel elision and consonants elision.

(d) Tone and tone notation.

 (e) The Igbo alphabet.

Part III: Grammar

Two questions will be set for candidates to answerly one of them. The questions will test candidate’s knowledge of the following areas:

• Spelling rules.
• Word formation.
• Igbo dialects and Standard Igbo.
• Loan words.
• Igbo metalanguage (new words).
• Word classes: The noun, verb, pronoun, conjunction, preposition, etc.
•  Grammatical categories: tense, number and person.
• Phrases and Clauses: their types and functions.
• Sentences:  i. their constituents and types.

                   ii. Sentences containing Direct and Indirect Speech.

• Lexis and Structure.
• Punctuation marks.

Section B: Literature

This section will consist of two parts, Parts I and II as follows:

Part I:   Oral Literature – Prose, Poetry and Drama

Part II: Written Literature – Prose, Poetry and Drama

Part I: Oral Literature

Three questions will be set for this part and candidates will be required to answer only one of them. All questions in this section will be based on the prescribed texts. 

In this part, candidates will be required to have basic knowledge of the following:

1. Definiton and characteristics of oral Literature
2. Classification and functions
3. Literary devices
4. Folktales (ifo)
5. Anecdotes (ụkabụilu)
6. Legends (nkọkịrịkọ/akụkọ dike)
7. Myths (nkọmịrịkọ/akụkọokike/mmalite)
8. Poems (abụ)
9. Songs (uri)
10. Proverbs (ilu)
11. Riddles (agwụgwa)
12. Chants (mbem)
13. Oral drama (ejije ọnụ)
14. Tongue twisters (okwuntụhi)

Part II: Written Literature

Three questions will be set for this part and candidates will be required to attempt only one. All questions in this section will be based on the prescribed texts.

Section C: Culture

Two questions will be set on culture and candidates will be required to attempt only one.

Candidates should be familiar with Igbo customs and institutions as aspects of the culture.

The following areas will be covered.

Customs – Omenala

1. Njirimara ndị Igbo-asụsụ, ejiji, omenala, ekpemekpe , agbambọ, dg.
   • Ekele ndị Igbo n’oge dị icheiche.
2. Mmemme -ọjị, ịtụ nzụ, ịkwọ aka ụtụtụ, ịgọ ọfọ, dg.
3. Nnabata ọbịa.
4. Ọmụmụ nwa – ile ọmụgwọ, ibi ugwu, ikupụta nwa, ịgụ aha, ịzụ ahịa nwa, ịhụ eze, dg.
5. Nkwenye – ịlọ ụwa, ọgbanje, nrọ, ihi/isi anụ, ịha/ịchụ mmiri, dg.
6. Emume – ọfala, ịbọ ụzọ, ịwa ji/iri ji, igbu ewuukwu,iru mgbede, ịwa akwa, akwamozu, ịgba mkpe, ịgụ afọ, mbarị, ụdara, dg.
7. Egwuregwu – egwu ụmụaka, ịgba/ịchụ oro, ịtụ okwe, ịzụ nchọrọkọtọ, ịkpọ okwe, mgba, ịkpọ ọga, okoso, egwu ọnwa, dg.
8. Nsọala/Arụ – ihensọ, ebensọ, anụnsọ, osisinsọ, ime ibeeṅe.

Institutions – Ewumewu

1. Ewumewu ọchịchị – ezinaụlọ, ndị eze ọdịnala, nze na ọzọ, ụmụọkpụ/ụmụada, otu ọgbọ, otu nzuzo, otu inyomdi, ụmụnna, ogbe, obodo.
2. Ewumewu mmekọrịta mmadụ na ibe ya – alụmalụ, ezinaụlọ, ịgọ ọgọ, nwanwa/nwadiala, ịgba ndụ, ịgba orikọ
3. Echichi – Lọọlọ, Iyọm, Ọmụ, Ezeji, Jioke, Atama.  
4. Abamaba – Mmọnwụ,Ọkọnkọ, Ekpe, Ọmabe, Odo, Dibịa.
5. Ewumewu akụnaụba – ike ekpe, iri ekpe, ala na ihe dị na ya.
6. Akaọrụ – ịkpụ ụzụ, ịgba nta, ịkụ azụ, ọrụugbo, ịkwa nka, ịkpụ ite, dg.
7. Ewumewu ofufe – ịgba afa, ịchụ aja, dg.
8. Ngwa ofufe – ọfọ, ikenga, okpesi, ogu, ọtọnsi , dg
9. Ihe ofufe – Ndịichie, Arụsị, Ikenga, Ala, Mmụọ mmiri, Arụsị/ Agbara
10. dịka Ogwugwu, Ahịajiọkụ, Agwụ, Amadịọha, Kamalụ, Agbala, Ibini
11. Ụkpabị, Ojukwu, Igwekaala, Idemmili, dg.