Meet
Our Board
At IHAV, our Board of Directors comprises leading experts in indigenous signed and spoken languages, uniquely positioned to advance our mission and vision. Our team includes some of the most accomplished linguists, equipped with the training and experience to address what the United Nations has recognized as the “indigenous language crisis.” Through our work, we safeguard the human right to language and promote the global dissemination of culturally specific knowledge.
Beyond our linguistic expertise, our board members bring diverse backgrounds across multiple disciplines, enriching our approach to supporting indigenous communities. Headquartered in the U.S., we collaborate with international organizations to drive meaningful change, ensuring that indigenous languages and cultures receive the recognition and support they deserve.
Our strength lies in our diversity, both in expertise and lived experience. We are committed to reflecting this in our leadership, our projects, and our dedication to empowering communities through language and cultural preservation.
board of directors
Dr. Emman Asonye
My name is Dr. Emmanuel Ihechi Asonye. I am a visionary leader and an esteemed scholar with a profound dedication to preserving and promoting indigenous languages and cultures. As the Chief Executive Officer of Omenka App LLC, Indigenous Hands and Voices, and the manager of USEKWU FOODS LLC and the author of “Nature’s All: Notes from an African Village Boy,” I have successfully blended my academic expertise with entrepreneurial acumen to create impactful technological solutions and sustainable business models. My academic journey began with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Linguistics and Igbo Studies, followed by a doctorate in Linguistics and Communications from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
My passion for language and communication is further enriched by specialized postdoctoral training in Speech and Hearing Sciences,
sign language linguistics, and language documentation. These experiences have shaped my research interests and fueled my commitment to linguistic diversity. My contributions extend beyond academia and business. I am a passionate advocate for linguistic diversity
and an inspiring leader dedicated to empowering communities through education and technology. My work continues to make a lasting impact, fostering a greater appreciation for the rich tapestry of languages and cultures that define our world. I am a proud husband of one wife and father of five. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, watching movies and cooking with my wife.
Ezinne Emma-Asonye (Mrs.)
Ezinne Emma-Asonye is a dynamic and compassionate leader whose diverse career journey reflects her dedication to education, healthcare, and cultural preservation. As the CEO of Usekwu Foods LLC, she brings a unique blend of skills and experiences to the culinary world, promoting vibrant and African authentic flavors. Ezinne began her professional path as a classroom teacher, later becoming a proprietress, and then specialized as a Special Education teacher, where her commitment to inclusivity and support for diverse learning needs to be shone brightly.
Her academic credentials are as impressive as her professional trajectory, holding a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Linguistics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, a Master’s in Special Education, and an Associate Degree in Nursing. This rich educational background underscores her versatile expertise and her passion for lifelong learning.
In addition to her business acumen, Ezinne is a dedicated advocate for cultural and linguistic preservation. She co-founded the Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative (S-DELI) with her husband, serving as a board member and championing efforts to protect and celebrate linguistic diversity. Ezinne Emma-Asonye’s life work is a testament to her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact across multiple spheres, touching lives with kindness, knowledge, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Hyginus Emeka Offor, P.E.
Hyginus Emeka Offor is a registered professional engineer. He served in the United States Navy, in active-duty for five years when he was deployed several times in conflict theater
including Operation Iraqi Freedom. Emeka was honorably discharged after his service.
During his military career, he was fortunate to travel to different parts of the world, where he worked and interacted with people from different cultural backgrounds.
He has worked in several government agencies and is currently working with the Department of Interior in the State of New Mexico.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. He likes playing tennis with his two boys as a hobby.
Prof. Alex Igbineweka
Òtòhén “Professor” Alex G. Igbineweka is the last bet, not the least of his mother’s five children. He was born, raised and educated in Nigeria until 1996 when he migrated into the United States of America for further linguistic research and documentation of the Guosa language he had created, as the unified West African indigenous zonal lingua-franca for peace, unity, identity, political stability, tourism, arts, culture and science.
From his tender age. Òtò. Igbineweka recognized the importance for an indigenous zonal lingua-franca for his homeland Nigeria and the surrounding Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and began his lifelong vision, by the evolution and creation of what is now known all over the world as the Guosa language. Guosa is an indigenous zonal lingua franca, a scientific interwoven of the various indigenous West African languages and dialects. Like the Swahili language for East Africa, or the Interslavic for the Slavic nations in Europe, so is the Guosa language for the West Africa.
Mary Edward, PhD
Dr. Mary Edward Agronah is a distinguished linguist with a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Brighton, UK, where her research focused on sign language linguistics and the role of iconicity in language. Her dissertation, “Iconicity as a pervasive force in language: Evidence from Ghanaian Sign Language and Adamorobe Sign Language,” reflects her deep engagement with the intersections of language, gesture, and cognition.
Dr. Agronah holds an MA in Linguistics from the University of Bergen, Norway, and a BA in English and Linguistics from the University of Ghana, where she graduated with First Class honors. Her research interests encompass a broad range of topics, including phonetics, semantics, multilingualism, and the documentation of endangered languages, particularly within the context of sign languages and Deaf culture.
Currently, Dr. Agronah is a Scientific Writer and a postdoc professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, where she contributes to the Centre for Advanced Research in Experimental and Applied Linguistics. She is also a part-time lecturer at the Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative, teaching courses on African sign linguistics and interpreting. With experience as a volunteer tutor in literacy and as a teaching assistant at the University of Ghana, Dr. Agronah is committed to advancing the understanding of language in diverse communities and fostering education in linguistic studies.
Stephen Bishop, PhD
Dr. Stephen Bishop is a Professor of French at the University of New Mexico, specializing in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies with a focus on French and Francophone literature. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in French and Francophone Literature from the University of Michigan, as well as a J.D. in Law. His research explores themes of postcolonial African identities, child soldiers, law and literature, and Francophone feminist theory.
Dr. Bishop has authored multiple scholarly works, including Scripting Shame in African Literature and Legal Oppositional Narrative: A Case Study in Cameroon. His current book project, (Over)Representations of Violence in African Literature, examines the commercial portrayal of violence in African narratives. A recipient of a Fulbright award, he has also served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Yaoundé I.
In addition to his extensive publications, Dr. Bishop has presented internationally on topics such as human rights, postcolonial studies, and African literature. He is fluent in French and proficient in multiple languages, contributing to his interdisciplinary research and teaching.