The Igbo Wikimedians User Group’s 72 hours virtual marathon edit-a-thon marked another milestone in the preservation of the Igbo language through open knowledge, with a strong focus on maintaining quality over quantity. This project which kicked off in April 2025 has recorded remarkable success from collaborative efforts and participation across our community. And the January 2026 edition was designed to sustain ongoing efforts, while building capacity amongst participants.
We began as usual with an engaging opening session to get participants familiarized with the workflow and all the assigned tasks. As organizers, we demonstrated to participants the practical ways to fix errors, and provided tool guidance as well. Editors dedicated 72 hours, from 28 to 31 January 2026, to improving the Igbo Wikipedia. During the marathon, participants specifically focused on:
- Adding {{DEFAULTSORT}} to biography pages for better organization and accessibility.
- Fixing reference errors in Igbo Wikipedia articles to ensure integrity.
- Adding site links to Wikidata items with existing articles on the Igbo Wikipedia using the Duplicity tool.
The results were both inspiring and measurable. 742 articles with reference errors were fixed, and 749 biography pages were improved with {{DEFAULTSORT}}. 117 Igbo Wikipedia article site links were added. Beyond the metrics, what has always truly stood out is the dedication and commitment of participants who contribute across different skill levels. This project doesn’t only improve content quality but strengthens community engagement and capacity building among Igbo Wikimedians.
Together, through each and every edit, we are building a vibrant digital future for the Igbo language and open knowledge at large. My deepest gratitude goes to every participant, and to my co-organizers – Lucy Iwuala, Mark Lapang, and Hilary Ogali, for the incredible teamwork and commitment. I look forward to the continuation of the subsequent editions of this project.
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