Importance of Preserving Indigenous Languages In Nigeria

By Calista Oyeoba / Posted December 16, 2024

Nigeria, being the most populous black nation in planet earth with a conservative population of over 250 million people, is also one of the most diverse countries, home to over 250 ethnic groups, each with its own dialect, language, culture and even religion.

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The primary languages spoken at home in Nigeria are Hausa, Yoruba, and English. In a survey conducted in 2022 around 32 percent of respondents declared that they mainly spoke Hausa at home. Some 17 percent, on the other hand, had Yoruba as their main family language. Igbo followed, with 13 percent of the respondents indicating it. Some other languages spoken in Nigerian households are English, Ibibio, Fulani, Tiv, Nupe, Pidgin English, and Ijaw.

The main language of instruction at school is generally English. However, for the first years of education, an indigenous or local language is also taught. As of 2019, around 72 percent of young women and 78 percent of young men in Nigeria were English language literates. This means they could understand, read, and write a short and simple statement in English, for instance, on their everyday life.

There are over 500 languages in Nigeria. The country has only one official language, English. According to estimates from 2018, Nigeria’s major ethnic groups are Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, Tiv, Kanuri, and Beriberi. Hausa, the largest population, is an ethnic group of people speaking the Hausa language. The Hausa are mainly present in West Africa, most of them living between Nigeria and Niger.

However, a cursory study in recent years, reveal that many of the indigenous languages are facing extinction due to various factors, including globalization, urbanization, and the dominance of English language in education and governance.

The importance of indigenous languages cannot be over-emphasized. They are a vital part of Nigeria’s cultural heritage and play a significant role in the country’s identity. They are a means of communication, a source of history, and a way of life. A language has the power to promote cultural diversity, preserve traditional knowledge, and foster community cohesion.

Despite their importance, indigenous languages in Nigeria are facing extinction due mainly to the eroding influence of western education and science.

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Some of the major threats to indigenous or local languages that have identified among others are; the increasing influence of globalization. This has led to the spread of English language and also, making it become the dominant language in education, business, governance plus interpersonal communication.

For Nigeria, the rapid urbanization nationwide, has led to the migration of people from rural areas to cities, where they are often, consciously or unconsciously but gradually made to abandon their indigenous languages in favor of more widely spoken languages.

But the more endemic threat is the poor or lack of documentation of indigenous languages in archival references or curriculum language bank for future generations to draw from.

Sadly too, there have been extreme cases of xenophobia, whereby some indigenous languages are stigmatized and their speakers are often ridiculed, evidencing the vestiges of racism and assumptions which many people still hold against others.

Despite the challenges, government and society efforts are being made to avert the death of indigenous languages. Nigeria has been advised to follow China’s footsteps in language preservation to avert indigenous languages going into extinction.

Recently, the federal government, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. James Sule, advocated following the footsteps of China in language preservation initiative to avert indigenous languages in the country from going into extinction.

The advice was given by Hon. James Sule during an interview with journalists at the sideline of the International Chinese Language Day organized by the China Cultural Center celebrated at the weekend in Abuja.

According to him, there are about 250 ethnic groups and approximately 512 languages spoken in Nigeria, the urgency to protect and revitalize these languages has never been more pressing.

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The permanent secretary disclosed that China’s proactive steps, including the establishment of language schools, cultural centres, and the integration of indigenous languages into educational curricula, serve as a blueprint for Nigerian policymakers.

Sule said: “Nigeria indigenous language is fast dying and we need to join all hands-on deck to prevent it through sensitization.

“We realize that the younger generation are no longer familiar with their indigenous languages so we have to have a curriculum where we teach every geopolitical zone the languages that are there.

“We must not be ashamed of our language, not just the three major languages but others too.

“Teachers can learn and teach our indigenous language to ensure that they are preserved and passed onto the next generation,” he said.

Some schools in Nigeria are now offering indigenous language courses through the development of language dictionaries, grammars, and textbooks, which helps to promote the use of these languages among young people.

Also, community-based initiatives are being implemented to promote the use of indigenous languages, including language clubs, cultural festivals, and language competitions.

The Nigerian government has established the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, which is responsible for promoting and preserving indigenous languages.

The government’s initiative must be seen as a collective responsibility that requires the efforts of government, communities, and individuals. It is important to recognize that preserving indigenous languages require definite actions by government and citizens.

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The story was researched and written by Calista Oyeoba.
Calista is on Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at DDNEWSONLINE.COM from the Department of Mass Communication, Ekocity Polytechnic, Lagos