Table of Contents

Goal/Mission:

To integrate Nsibidi characters into the Nkọwa okwu database for public use and knowledge in hopes of:

• Solving dialect distinctions
• Solving tonal homonyms
• Providing a platform for education
• Improving African literacy

Implementation of Nsibidi in the Igbo dictionary

Main question: How do we integrate Nsibidi characters within the dictionary to be displayed?

Best Answer: Creating a separate field above the Latin Igbo word with the appropriate character assigned.

Why? If a user has a distinct dialect from the most common or central translations of a word, one can still learn and use other dialects but only need to use the same Nsibidi character regardless of dialect and intonation.

Important characteristics of Nsibidi as a unifier script:

• it is a base script with historical prevalence and use in igbo history.
• it creates a means of easier communication regardless of dialect therefore enabling ease of writing and reading in the igbo language.
• incorporating the characters within the API can attract more users and be means of obtaining Unicode Consortium standardization as there is enough data and input stored from the user and data arrays to be a good point of reference for the function and use of Nsibidi characters.

Creating the Dataset