Nigerian Languages Must Not Die

Before me is a letter from a school in Enugu State, stating that for my nephew who intends to continue his seminary training in the state to be admitted into the Senior Seminary, he must have credit in Igbo language.
The letter further states that despite the boy’s brilliant results from a junior seminary in Rivers State, he must sit for an external examination in Igbo language and excel before he could be qualified to continue his training for the priesthood.
The poor boy has been sad and devastated since he got the information. He seems confused as to what next to do since he did not study Igbo or any Nigerian language both in primary and secondary schools.
He sees the seminary’s insistence on credit in Igbo language as unfair and a setback in his ambition of being a priest. I, however, consider the decision laudable. I see it as a measure that will promote the study of Nigeria’s indigenous languages which is fast going into extinction.
At an event, one Dr Victoria Okoronkwo, raised alarm over what she called an emerging trend, which might lead to loss of local languages and dialects, if urgent measures were not taken to check it. Okoronkwo disclosed how studies showed that 60% of most Nigerian profound dialect speakers are above 50.
Quoting a United Nations report, she said the percentage of children that speak local dialects is thinning down. “This may result in loss of our identity, our culture, our moral values and heritage. Hence, preserving our dialects is an important national challenge that requires our urgent and collective responsibility”.
Similarly, other experts had revealed that most Nigerian indigenous languages would be extinct in the next three decades, while about 90 per cent of them were projected to be replaced by dominant languages.
Observations show that many people no longer speak their dialects. Many parents, especially the educated ones, do not communicate with their children in their dialects and really don’t care if their children speak their language or not.
All they want is for their children to speak English and other foreign languages. Parents of different ethnic groups most times also decide to speak a neutral language, especially to their children, thereby denying them the identities of their parents.
Beyond this is the worrisome attitude of some people making a person who speaks his or her language feel inferior. A young woman recently narrated to me how her friends who are all of the same ethnic group with her, mock-her whenever she speaks her native language in their midst. For being proud of her language they nicknamed her, “bushmo” indicating that she is a primitive, local girl.
Language is defined as arbitrary oral symbols by which a social group interacts, communicates and self expressed. It enshrines the culture, customs and secrets of the people. So, instead of looking down on people who speak their language, and making them feel their language is something to be ashamed of, we should try to instil pride in them and emulate them.
The truth is that the English and other foreign languages we promote can never be our language. No matter how proficient you are in English and speak it with the English accent, you are not an English man or woman. You remain a Nigerian. Many of us spend thousands of naira to hire English and French teachers for our children, (which is not bad), how much do we spend to teach them their native languages which is their identity?
Countries like China, India, Brazil, and Japan have used their indigenous languages to excel; why can’t Nigeria do the same? A professor of Yoruba, Oluyemisi Adebowale of the Department of Linguistics and languages, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, at a public lecture said that for Nigeria to be relevant in the globalised world, it must emphasise the rejuvenation and sustenance of its indigenous languages.
The Federal Government’s National Policy on Culture emphasises the need for conscious and concerted efforts by all levels of government to promote the teaching of our languages and inclusion of the same in the school curriculum.
This policy, if fully implemented, will no doubt see to the revival and promotion of indigenous languages in Nigeria. Schools, particularly private schools, should be thoroughly monitored to see that they implement the policy as many of them are very good at promoting foreign languages, cultures and ideas at the expense of our own.
Universities and other higher institutions should tow the line of the Enugu State Seminary and obtaining of the credit in a Nigerian language a prerequisite for admission into the institutions. National dialect essay competitions should be organized regularly to promote the use of our dialects in the best grammatical way possible. This will ensure sustenance and preservation of the dialects.
Some time ago, the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) commenced a one-month intensive indigenous language programme in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Fulfulde, Gbagyi, Izon, Nupe and Tiv.
According to the then Executive Secretary of the Institute, Dr Barclays Ayakoroma, the programme tagged, “Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme”, was initiated by the institute in response to the disheartening state of indigenous languages in Nigeria. This move is most commendable and should be imitated by other relevant government agencies.
We all have to promote and preserve our indigenous languages as that is our identity and pride. Until we start speaking our languages, particularly the small dialects, we may not be able to make an impact.

Calista Ezeaku