Igbo Wikipedia Awareness & Training at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC)

“What goes around comes around.” While the saying is often used in different contexts, I have come to appreciate its meaning through my Wikimedia journey.

In 2022, while I was still a student, two Wikimedians, User:Olugold and User:Kingsley Nkem, visited my department to introduce students to Wikimedia projects. At the time, I knew Wikipedia as a website where people searched for information, but I had no idea that ordinary people could contribute to it or that there was a growing community dedicated to preserving knowledge in indigenous languages. That single classroom visit opened the door to opportunities, skills, communities, and experiences that I could never have imagined.

Over the years, Wikimedia has shaped my personal and professional growth. Through the movement, I have learned digital skills, connected with people across different communities, contributed to preserving knowledge in my language, and discovered the power of open knowledge. As my journey within Wikimedia continued, I often reflected on that first introduction and how a simple awareness session had changed my path.

That reflection inspired me to give back.

Bringing Igbo Wikipedia to UNEC

On 9 April 2026, I organized the Igbo Wikipedia Awareness & Training at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), with support from the Igbo Wikimedians User Group. The goal was simple: to introduce students to the same opportunities that Wikimedia introduced to me years earlier and to encourage them to become contributors to free knowledge in the Igbo language.

The training brought together 20 new participants who were introduced to Wikimedia Projects, Igbo Wikipedia, and the role indigenous language projects play in ensuring that local knowledge has a place online. Participants created their Wikipedia accounts, learned the fundamentals of editing, and took part in practical article translation exercises. To ensure that everyone gained confidence in contributing, the session included hands-on training and one-on-one guidance throughout the event.

From training to contribution

Learning did not stop when the training ended. To help participants apply the skills they had acquired, a 3 days edit-a-thon followed the training. Participants translated articles from English to Igbo, putting their knowledge into practice while making meaningful contributions to Igbo-language content online.

The outcome was encouraging. By the end of the edit-a-thon, participants had successfully translated 80 new articles from English to Igbo. Beyond the numbers, the project introduced new editors to the Wikimedia movement and demonstrated the enthusiasm of students to contribute when given the right support and opportunity.

Final Reflection

For me, the most rewarding part of the project was not the article count. It was seeing students experience the same curiosity and excitement that I felt when User:Olugold and User:Kingsley Nkem first introduced Wikimedia to my class. In many ways, the event felt like a full-circle moment, transforming me from someone who once attended a classroom awareness session into someone creating that opportunity for others.

As Wikimedia communities continue to work toward preserving indigenous languages and expanding access to knowledge, initiatives like this remind us that a single introduction can have a lasting impact. Sometimes, all it takes is one classroom, one conversation, and one opportunity to inspire the next generation of contributors.