In a bid to improve the
standard of English in Nigeria, a University Don, Professor Chioma Carol Opara, has called for the review of English Language in primary and secondary schools in the country.
Professor Opara, who stated this in her inaugural lecture noted that “the standard of English is plummeting abysmally in Nigeria”.
In the lecture, titled “Towards Integration in Heterogeneity: Poetics, conflict and gender Politics in Literature”, she stated that given the fact that language is the medium of expression in literature, language and writing skills should be improved upon to produce well-written texts in the country.
In addition, she stated the need to institute enrolment of English and Literature in the early years of students in the university.
The Professor of English and Comparative Literature in the Institute of Foundation Studies (IFS) Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), noted that the falling standard of English Language in the country is the reason for Nigeria’s inability to win the Nobel prize since after Professor Wole Soyinka won it in 1986.
“In the light of the falling standards, I recommend that students in all the faculties in this university should enroll in English for four semesters and literature for two semesters to acquire ample communication and literary skills”, she said.
She also used the opportunity to call for the upgradement of the IFS to a full-fledged faculty of Humanities in Social Sciences.
This, she continued will facilitate the integration of English Language and Literature”.

Sogbeba Dokubo