The
Tyranny of English Language and Westernisation in Nigeria: Imperative of Indigenous Language
and Cultural Promotion For Development
Siyan
Oyeweso
Introduction
Language is peculiar and unique to human beings[i]
and indeed, it is the soul of human societies. Its primary function among human
beings is that it is the vehicle of communication. Language is so important
among human beings that, presumably a society without a language would be
cultureless as it would have no means of re-creating past experiences and communicating
them to the young ones.[ii]
In other words, there is no history or culture without language and a human
society without culture would be reduced, at best, to ape societies. This is
because it is through words of mouth that the accumulated knowledge of a people
is passed on from generation to generation.[iii] According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), languages highlight the roots, philosophy
and culture of an ethnic community.[iv]
Indeed, language is central to cultural identity of human beings as it helps to
trace a people’s heritage and tradition.[v]
The Nigerian state, as constituted today, is peopled by diverse ethnic
groups numbering more than four hundred with different socio-economic and
political backgrounds. Linguistically, Nigeria
is a multilingual society with about four hundred languages and this earns it
the appellation of ‘African Tower of Babel’.[vi]
According to Unoh, all the Nigerian languages are grouped into three broad
categories. In the first group are Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo which are regarded as
the major Nigerian languages. The second group comprises Edo,
Efik-Ibibio, Fulfulde, Igala, Ijo, Kanuri, Nupe, Tiv and Urhobo. All other
Nigerian languages belong to the third group.[vii]
The reason for the recognition of these three languages as the major Nigerian
languages is not far-fetched. Babajide A.O. captures this reason in these
words:
The choice of these languages was neither arbitrary nor political. The
choice was predicated on the simple and visible fact that the three major
languages are far more developed in linguistics and literature than the rest,
coupled with the fact that they are more widely used across the country than
the rest.[viii]
Significantly, it was this multi-lingual situation that the Europeans
met in Nigeria when they
began to penetrate the interior of Nigeria and interact with the
indigenous peoples in the last decades of the 19th century. Language
difficulty was one of the major problems faced by these Europeans, especially
the Christian missionaries who planned to stay permanently among the indigenes
to preach the Christian faith. It was in a bid to solve this problem that
Western education was introduced by the Christian missionaries in Nigeria through the establishment of schools
where the four Rs (reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic and religion) were taught.[ix]
This was the beginning of the implantation of English Language in Nigeria which has since changed the linguistic
status-quo in Nigeria
with grave consequences.
Against this background, this paper examines the trajectories of the
Nigerian indigenous languages since the advent of colonialism and the consequent
implantation of English Language. The paper is informed basically by the
current deplorable state of indigenous languages in Nigeria and the need to put them in
their proper linguistic positions for national development. The paper is
divided into five major parts. The first part introduces the paper and sets the
tune of the discussion by emphasising the importance of language in human
society. Part two of the paper examines how the British colonization of Nigeria led to the implantation of English
Language as the dominant language in Nigeria
over the numerous indigenous languages while the third part is focused on the
analysis of the linguistic situation in contemporary Nigeria. The fourth part of the
paper makes an advocacy for the promotion of indigenous languages in Nigerian
national polity and discusses their prospective relevance to national
development. The last part concludes the paper.
British Colonial Rule and the Subservience of Indigenous
Languages in Nigeria
One of the major historical factors that affected linguistic
situation in Nigeria
vis-à-vis the relationship between English Language and indigenous languages
was the influx of foreigners into the area now referred to as Nigeria. The
most prominent of these foreigners were the Muslim missionaries from North
Africa who traded with the peoples of Northern Nigeria
during the trans-Saharan trade up to the 19th century and the
European visitors – explorers, traders, missionaries and colonialists since the
19th century.[x]
Unfortunately, scholars often overlook the linguistic impact of the
interactions of the Muslim missionaries from North Africa with the people of Northern Nigeria during the trans-Saharan trade and the
introduction of Islam and Arabic literacy to the local people.
It would be recalled that these Arab scholars were the first to
commit Nigerian history and culture into writing and documentation in Arabic
language.[xi] They
also educated the indigenous people in Arabic literacy and these indigenes
later produced several literary and historical works in Arabic and the indigenous
languages, particularly Hausa and Fulfulde. Examples of such works include
Uthman dan Fodio’s Wathiqat ahl al-Sudan and Kitab al Farq, Muhammed Bello’s Infaq al Maysur, Abdullahi Fodio’s Tazyin al Waraqat and Ahmad al Sudani’s Tarikh Umara Bauchi.[xii]
However, due to the fact that the Arab immigrants/visitors were not in Nigeria purposely for colonial enterprise and
the fact that they were only able to penetrate the Northern part of the country,
the official adoption or imposition of Arabic language in Nigeria was not
possible. However, the linguistic influence of Arabic language in Nigeria
particularly among the Nigerian Muslims cannot be over-emphasised.
More importantly, the influx of the Europeans into Nigeria after the abolition of the Atlantic
slave trade was to have a more lasting linguistic impact on Nigeria.
Obviously, their coming was motivated by three major factors – Commerce,
Christianity and Civilization.[xiii]
The European Christian missionaries realised early the imperative of educating
the indigenes in the arts of writing, reading and arithmetic in addition to
religious instructions.[xiv]
It was also thought that a major way of reaching out to the people was to learn
the indigenous languages of the Nigerian peoples. To this end, indigenous
language learning was a major field of knowledge pursued by the Christian
missionaries in the early years of the missionary enterprise in Nigeria.[xv]
The result of this exercise was the production of literary works such as the
translation of the Holy Bible into Yoruba by Bishop Ajayi Crowther in 1848 and
the commitment into writing of some indigenous languages in Nigeria which led
to such works as T. Bowen’s Grammar and
Dictionary of the Yoruba Language, MacIntyre’s Nupe Reader or Grammar, Reverend S.W. Koelle’s Grammar of the Bornu or Kanuri Language, Schon’s Grammar of the Hausa Language, Hugh
Goldie’s Principle’s of Efik Grammar and
Specimens of the Language and numerous others.[xvi]
The implication of this was that indigenous languages learning received great
attention from the European missionaries in the early years of British-Nigeria
relations. This was because they needed interpreters, clerks, house-helps and
so on to ease their mission enterprise.[xvii]
This influenced their establishment of schools and the introduction of Western
education.
The British imposition of formal colonial rule on the peoples of Nigeria
beginning from about the 1880s had an adverse impact on the linguistic
situation of the country. With this development, the British became the sole
controllers and administrators of the political and socio-economic machineries
of Nigeria.
As a consequence of this, there was alteration in all the facets of national
life of colonial Nigeria.
Every aspect of the peoples’ culture was considered inferior to that of the
British and the people had to learn the British ways to be able to participate
effectively in the socio-economic and political activities of colonial Nigeria. The
colonial government deliberately pursued a policy of discouraging the promotion
of indigenous languages through the 1882 West African Education Ordinance.[xviii]
The Ordinance was used to checkmate the Christian missionaries who were seeking
converts through the indigenous languages and it was directed that the subject
of teaching must be reading and writing of English Language.[xix]
The colonial government also used various means at its disposal to frustrate
the activities of the missionaries who earlier promoted the learning of
indigenous languages. During the colonial period, English Language gradually
became the official language of government and administration, education,
business, commerce, mass media and so on.
It is against the background of multilingual nature of Nigeria and the need to have a common and
mutually intelligible language to all Nigerians that the colonial government
made English Language the lingua franca in Nigeria and this has been the
situation since then. However, the peoples of Nigeria have “domesticated” the English
Language to suit the Nigerian experiences, nuances and sensibilities. Today,
there are significant lexical, neologistic, idiomatic, analogical,
phonological, semantic, grammatical and syntactic domestications of English
Language in Nigeria.
To this end, linguists have talked about pidginisation, nativisation,
domestication, acculturation and even Nigerianisation of English Language in Nigeria. This
has led to what scholars have referred to as Nigerian English.[xx]
Significantly, this presupposes that Nigerian indigenous language cultures are
highly resilient. However, in spite of the significant domestication of the
English Language in Nigeria,
the fact remains that it is still a foreign language imposed on Nigerians as a
result of the need for socio-economic and political expediencies during the
colonial period.
The introduction and imposition of English Language was one of the
legacies bequeathed to Nigeria
by the British colonialists. It has remained the country’s lingua franca (?)
after independence in 1960 because of the heterogeneous nature of the country, the
presence of about four hundred linguistic groups and the perceived advantages
of English Language over all the indigenous Nigerian Languages. It is the only
language that can serve the communication needs of all the ethnic groups that
make up Nigeria
because none of the three major languages is mutually intelligible to all
Nigerians. Thus, English Language has since remained the official language in
Nigeria.
Linguistic Situation in
Contemporary Nigeria: The Tyranny of English Language
African linguists have raised alarm that given the current state of
linguistics in Africa vis-à-vis the status of
indigenous languages compared to that of European languages, there may not be
any surviving African languages in the next one hundred and fifty years as all
of them may have been killed or abandoned.[xxi]
This is not unconnected with the fact that in most African countries today,
European languages such as English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and so on are
the official and dominant languages. It is only in the North African states of Egypt, Libya
and the Sudan
that Arabic is the official language and English an adjunct language.[xxii]
The main reason for this, of course, is the negative impact of European
imperialism and colonialism. However, the countries of East Africa such as Somalia, Ethiopia,
Tanzania
and a few others use indigenous languages as official media of instruction in
the primary and post-primary levels of education with English as an adjunct
language. In all parts of Africa, indigenous
languages face a serious threat of extinction because the language policies of
the countries, at best, only assign minimal role to them and place eminence on
the colonially imposed languages.[xxiii]
The case of English Language in Nigeria
is particularly significant.
In theory, in order to appreciate and preserve the cultures of the
peoples of Nigeria,
the Nigerian National Language Policy and the National Policy on Education
stipulate that the one of the three major indigenous Nigerian languages –
Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo should be learnt by every Nigerian student right from
the primary to secondary school levels. It is also stipulated that the medium
of instruction in the pre-primary level of education (the first three years in
the primary school) should be the mother tongue or the language of the
immediate community.[xxiv]
The National Language Policy only recommends the use of English as the medium
of instruction at the post-primary level of education in Nigeria and a subject
to be learnt as a second language at all levels of education considering its
importance in our national life. This is predicated on the conviction that pupils
tend to have a firmer understanding and grasp of the instructions in their
mother tongue than a second language like English Language.[xxv]
This is the ideal contained in the National Language Policy which has not been
faithfully implemented due to some obvious reasons.
However, in practical terms, in contemporary Nigeria, the
English Language maintains its predominant position in all aspects of the
national life. It remains the official language of government and administration
in the country.[xxvi]
It is the language of proceedings and day-to-day activities in government
ministries, offices, parastatals, courts of law, government agencies and so on.
Indeed, it is the country’s medium of communication with other countries in the
conducts of international relations and diplomacy. Also, government official
records, fiscal documents, gazettes and a host of others are kept in English Language.
As a matter of fact, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states
that the business of the National Assembly shall be conducted in English, and
in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba when adequate arrangements have been made thereof.
The truth of this is that English Language would continue to be the medium of
communication in the National Assembly because the members are drawn from
diverse linguistic backgrounds and English Language is the only common language
understood by all of them. The concrete reality in the contemporary Nigeria is
that no indigenous language is used in legislative business in the National
Assembly while some states assemblies are trying to make use of one of their
major indigenous languages in legislative business in some days of the week.
In another instance, it is in the field of education that the
entrenchment of English language is most noticeable. English language is the
medium of interaction in the educational system in Nigeria and both the instructors
and the learners are expected to be competent in the language. At all levels of
Nigerian educational system – pre-nursery, nursery, primary, post-primary and
tertiary, English Language is the main language of instruction in all subjects.
According to Fafunwa, A.B., the pupils in the elementary schools gain access to
the world values of science and technology through English Language.[xxvii]
It must be emphasised that one of the major reasons advanced for the inability
of the state to make one of the indigenous Nigerian languages the official
language of education is that there is difficulty in getting proper scientific
and technological terms in all the indigenous languages. To this end, the
National Policy on Education makes the learning of English Language as a
subject from the primary to the university levels.
In the communication and information industry in contemporary Nigeria,
English Language is the official language. Whether in the print or electronic
mass media such as newspaper and magazine reports, radio and television
broadcast, English Language is the major medium of information dissemination
except in cases where state-owned electronic media use indigenous languages for
broadcast and programme presentations. Also, there are local newspapers and
magazines in different localities across the country published in indigenous
languages. These include Alaroye and Akede Agbaye in Yorubaland, Nzisa in Igboland, Wanchancha in Tivland, Unwana
Efik in Efikland, Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo
in Hausaland and a host of others.[xxviii]
However, all the national newspapers are published in English Language and most
programmes and presentations on the national television are conducted in
English Language. Bearing in mind that the first newspaper in Nigeria, ‘Iwe
Iroyin’ was published in Yoruba language in the 1850s[xxix]
and the fact that the first television station in Africa was opened in Western
Nigeria (Yorubaland) with predominant use of Yoruba language for information
dissemination to the people in all the nooks and crannies of the region, this
reversal in the use of language which is now in favour of English Language in
the national newspapers and television is to say the least quite unfortunate.
Furthermore, in the contemporary Nigeria, English Language is the
dominant language of corporate business, commerce and trade, particularly as it
affects economic interactions with people of different linguistic backgrounds.
This is more appreciated if situated within the background of inter-state trade
and commerce among Nigerians. Therefore, the use of English Language is so
pervasive in Nigeria
that it practically becomes impossible to do away with it in any aspect of
Nigerian national life. It is in this context that Bamisaiye T. describes
English Language in Nigeria
as a ‘legal alien’.[xxx]
Similarly, Crystal describes English Language in
Nigeria
as an instrument of linguistic accommodation, language of participation and
language of social mobility.[xxxi]
Significantly, English Language is one of the major world’s
languages which enjoys some kinds of special status in over seventy countries and
it is taught as a foreign language in over one hundred countries.[xxxii]
This factor accounts for its continuous retention as the country’s official
language as this would give the country a pride of place in the comity of nations.
Also, as a result of the perceived indispensability of English Language in Nigeria, people
have advocated that English Language should remain the lingua franca of the
country but also that the Nigerian indigenous languages should also be
promoted.
The above is the true picture of the linguistic situation in
contemporary Nigeria.
The dominant status of English Language and the relegation of the indigenous
languages to the background is not a good omen for the future of these
languages. Given this scenario, scholars of African languages have maintained
that the prevalence of what they term ‘language shift’ may soon spell doom for
indigenous African languages. Language shift, in the words of Trudgil P., is
“the process by which a community more or less gradually abandons its original
language and through an intermediate stage of bilingualism, adopts another”.[xxxiii]
This definition succinctly captures the linguistic situation in Nigeria
vis-à-vis the relationship between English Language and the various indigenous
languages. Thus, indigenous languages in Nigeria face a serious threat of
extinction if the current situation is not urgently addressed. It has been
argued by some scholars that the major indigenous languages in Nigeria tend to
contribute and benefit from the language shift which has led to the weakening
and disappearance of minor languages.[xxxiv]
The fact, however, remains that even the major Nigerian languages face the same
threat of extinction considering the shift towards complete dominance of
English Language in our national life.
The argument here is that the minimal role and subservient position
accorded the indigenous Nigerian languages do not augur well for the future of
these languages. Apart from this, the Nigerian indigenous languages have a lot
of role to play in the national quest for development if they are consciously promoted,
appreciated and harnessed.
The Imperatives of
Indigenous Languages Promotion for National Development
Having gone this far in our analysis of the history and nature of
the plights of the indigenous Nigerian languages in contemporary Nigeria, it is important
to stress that all hands must be on deck to intensify efforts to preserve and
appreciate our indigenous languages. The importance and urgency of our language
and cultural preservation is succinctly described by Ugonna N., in these words:
every aspect of our socio-cultural spectrum needs urgent preservation
and…perhaps topping the list of cultural items to be preserved are our languages…Language
is not only a medium through which culture is transmitted, it is part of
culture, and indeed, not only part of culture but in a way the totality of
culture since culture could not be expressed in any other way except through
language.[xxxv]
Premised on the above submission, it is the candid opinion of this
writer that the preservation of our indigenous languages can best be done by
promoting their use in all aspects of our daily activities at the individual,
group and government levels. African linguists have a lot of roles to play in
the campaign for what Munzali Jibril refers to as the rescue or salvage
linguistics. According to him, this salvage would combine “action research,
advocacy and activism all aimed at saving, preserving, developing and promoting
African languages”[xxxvi]
in all spheres of national life in African countries. This would ensure that
African indigenous languages are revamped, promoted, preserved and accorded
pride of place in respective African states. There are several areas where the
use of Nigerian indigenous languages is of critical necessity for deriving the maximum
benefit of their contributions to national development.
In the first instance, the use of Nigerian indigenous languages,
particularly the mother tongue, should be promoted in the educational sector of
Nigeria at all levels. It has been emphasised that language problem is one of
the major reasons for poor performance of students at examinations at all
levels of education in Nigeria
from the primary to the tertiary levels.[xxxvii]
Several researches and studies in all levels of education across the country
report this important problem in primary schools,[xxxviii]
secondary schools[xxxix]
and universities.[xl]
The argument here is that students do not do well in examinations because they
do not have effective understanding, grasp and assimilation of the message
because they are instructed in English language instead of their mother tongues.
In the same vein, reports have shown that students learn better and do
impressively well in examinations in indigenous languages such as Hausa,
Yoruba, Igbo and so on. Some of the reports of studies and projects that have
supported and confirmed this position include those of the famous Ife Six-Year
Yoruba Medium Primary Education Project, the Association for the Development of
Education in Africa (ADEA) and UNESCO Institute for Education.[xli]
Based on this experience, it is high-time Nigeria adopted the policy of using
indigenous languages only for instructions in the first three years in primary schools
and along with English Language from the fourth year up to three years of
junior secondary before it is stopped in order to put the pupils on sound
educational footing. Jibril M. captures the necessity and importance of this
policy in these words:
African linguists should therefore actively campaign for the use of
the mother-tongue or its equivalent as medium of instruction for at least the
nine years of basic education, with the European languages being introduced as
a subject from the fourth year of primary school. This policy, if adopted,
would necessitate the development of many languages, including the compilation
of dictionaries and grammars and the development of appropriate technical
vocabulary as well as stimulate the development of literature in the language
to promote their use.[xlii]
In the same vein, Bamgbose argues that until we realize the
importance of language of the home in the schools, the failure in the education
system will continue unabated.[xliii] What must be done also includes the promotion
of the teaching, learning and study of Nigerian indigenous languages at all
levels of education in Nigeria.
It is so pathetic that today students do not do well in examinations in
indigenous languages because they are not well grounded in them from their
childhood. Not only this, admission applicants into tertiary institutions of
learning vehemently reject offers to study indigenous languages for degrees and
diplomas and the few who accept the offers are scornfully treated by their
colleagues who are pursuing degrees and diplomas in business management and
science disciplines.[xliv]
The argument here is that there is little or no societal relevance and
recognition attached to making careers and professions in teaching, learning
and researching in indigenous languages in Nigeria. In contrast, Nigerian
students take delight and pride in studying English Language and other European
languages for university degrees and college diplomas. All these do not help
the unfortunate situation of indigenous languages in Nigeria.
The way forward in this regard is
that the governments at the various levels should, as a matter of state policy,
give prominence and sincere support to the teaching, learning and study of
indigenous languages at all levels of education in Nigeria. One scholar has even
suggested that the tyranny of English Language as basic requirement for
admission to higher institutions of learning in Nigeria could be broken by a
corresponding basic requirement of one of the indigenous languages for certain
courses particularly in the liberal arts.[xlv]
The government and other stakeholders in the promotion of indigenous languages
should formulate and implement other policies and programmes that would restore
the primacy of indigenous languages in Nigeria. The Association of
Nigerian Language Teachers (ANLAT) and other related bodies should intensify
their efforts and activities meant for the promotion, preservation and
appreciation of indigenous languages. These, among other measures, would go a
long way in charting a new course for Nigerian indigenous languages. The era of
mere paper recognition and relevance as well as lip service to the promotion of
indigenous languages is gone. All that is needed now is retroactive measures to
revamp the indigenous languages in Nigeria.
Apart from the education sector, the promotion and use of indigenous
Nigerian languages is also imperative in other sectors of our life. Since it is
generally acknowledged that the preservation of indigenous cultures is tied to
indigenous languages, then our indigenous languages should be given a pride of
place in all facets of our individual and collective endeavours. At the
individual level, there is a need for Nigerians to ensure that their young ones,
particularly the children, are thoroughly grounded in the use of their mother
tongues right from their childhood before they are exposed to the learning of
English Language as a second language when they are mature.[xlvi]
This is imperative against the background that the indigenous languages have
become alien songs to the children in many households in Nigeria and the
preference is for English Language.[xlvii]
The implication of this development is that the young generations of Nigerians
are not imbibing the cultural norms and values of their ethnic groups which
indigenous languages would have imparted to them. All Nigerian indigenous
languages are rich in traditional folklores, poetry, proverbs, songs and other
cultural values. There is a great danger for our cultural survival if the
current linguistic situation which relegates the indigenous languages to the
background is not reversed. It is in this light that Osundare, N. reasons that
the alienation of the Nigerian indigenous languages ‘portends the death of the
indigenous culture’.[xlviii]
Therefore, promoting our indigenous languages is a step towards preserving our
cultural heritage and values.
Furthermore, the imperative of the use of indigenous languages in
the media industry both the print and electronic cannot be over-emphasised. The
use of indigenous languages in the dissemination of important national
information would not only send the information to majority of Nigerians in all
the nooks and crannies of the country but will also make them to be more effectively
understood by the people. In another instance, using the indigenous languages
in the print and electronic media may serve as a means of transmitting indigenous
cultures from generation to generation. Indeed, television and radio programmes
aired in indigenous languages are greatly appreciated and enjoyed by local
audience in all parts of Nigeria.
The same thing applies to newspapers and magazines published in different
indigenous languages across the country.
In similar veins, scholars have also advocated the preservation and
transmission of our indigenous language culture through documentation of our
folklores and cultural values through the music and movie industries. The
indigenous musicians and theatre practitioners have a duty to preserve,
transmit and project the indigenous languages through songs and cinemas
skillfully composed and dramatized in indigenous languages. The wide-expanding
musical industry in Nigeria
and the Nollywood are challenged to use their talents in exploring the
indigenous languages for inculcating the spirits of cultural appreciation and
awareness in the minds of Nigerians. According to S.T. Adeyemi, the
‘nollywoodization’ of the Nigerian cinema has improved the indices of cultural
nationalism in Nigerian home videos and cinemas and has recorded significant
progress in projecting the cultural heritage of the peoples of Nigeria.[xlix]
Equally, scholars have advocated the documentation of our folklores on
video tapes, video compact disc (VCD), digital video disc (DVD) and other
electronic media for viewing at the household and wider levels.[l]
This is premised on the fact that the culture of home video has supplanted the
traditional practice of moonlight tales among the various Nigerian peoples.
Therefore, this would give the people particularly the children opportunity to view/watch
or listen to traditional stories, tales, folklores, fables, legends and so on.
The television medium is of particular importance for it enables the viewer to
see the story teller, the audience, the traditional setting, the dramatization
and other striking features of indigenous oral literature.[li]
This would go a long way in breaking the negative influence of Western movies,
music, cartoons and other features in Nigeria and in turn acquaint Nigerians
with the folklores that revolve around the cultures and values of the Nigerian
peoples.
Furthermore, the use of Nigerian indigenous languages should be
encouraged and adopted in other spheres of our individual and collective
endeavours such as government and legislative businesses at both official and
unofficial levels. The Hausa people of Northern Nigeria
excel in the use of their language in government businesses at both official
and unofficial occasions. Other Nigerian peoples need to emulate them in this
regard. The adoption of our indigenous languages in all spheres of our
endeavours would make our system more participatory as this would make
Nigerians to be more nationalistic and patriotic. In this regard, Oloruntimehin,
B.O. has rightly argued that in most African countries, the poor language
policies which relegate African languages to the background have impacted
negatively on the ability of most of the population to participate effectively
in the educational, socio-economic and political systems.[lii]
Scholars have posited that there is great link between language and nationalism
and patriotism which are important ingredients of national development.[liii]
Premised on this, the promotion and the use of indigenous languages in Nigeria would ultimately contribute to Nigeria’s quest
for development. Adekoya, O. captures the importance and role of language and
literature in national development in these words:
Literature is a veritable medium for propagating the ethos of
nationalism, for mobilizing the masses for economic development, for teaching
cultural and moral values, for inculcating in people principles of patriotism,
for keeping the racial memory alive, and for awakening people to the task of
nation building.[liv]
The point here is that we need to take the issue of indigenous
languages very seriously in Nigeria
because of their great potential and prospective role for national development.
Specific Recommendations:
Yoruba Language and Culture for Development
The Yoruba are very rich culturally and indeed, they are
generally-acknowledged as one of the most-cultured and most-civilised African
peoples. Though the Yoruba culture have been relatively resilient against
Westernisation, the fact remains that our culture have been relegated to the
background in several aspects of our individual and collective endeavours. My
recommenation here is hinged on the fact that since culture is dynamic and
adaptive, our ways of life should also be changing as the world is a changing
world. I fully agree with Ali Mazrui that what we want is modernisation and
development and not Westernisation. According to him:
Development is modernization minus
dependency….African culture is central to this process of reducing dependency
in the dialectic of modernization…..What is needed is more of modernity and
less of “the Western spring”. A non-Western route to modernity is possible for
Africa - provided African culture is fully mobilized as an ally in the
enterprise.[lv]
Premised on the above Mazruian postulates, I want to make the
following recommendations as part of the way forward in our quest for
development through Yoruba language, culture and philosophy:
1. We should look back and
make a recourse to all that is good about our past cultural
heritage and make them compatible with current modern practices.
2. We should forsake all
forms of Westernisation but embrace modernisation and
development (Mazruian principle)
3. Yoruba language should be
made a household medium of communication and language of instructions in primary
and first three years (JSS) in post-primary schools while at the same time be
used at official levels in Yorubaland. The same thing can be replicated in
other parts of Nigeria with most popular languages in such parts of the country.
4. There should be cultural
re-orientation of all Yoruba particularly the youths whereby
Yoruba culture of respect, good character, hospitality, chastity,
truthfulness,
generosity, trust, covenant keeping, unity, communalism, kindnesss,
etc are promoted, and vices like wickedness, stealing, incest, laziness,
hypocrisy, covetousness and
individualism are discouraged.
5. The onus of this
cultural re-orientation lies with the parents, corporate bodies, religious
organizations, non-governmental organizations and the governments at
all levels.
6. The Nigerian academia, particularly the scholars and students of
indigenous languages (Yoruba in
particular), is also expected to contribute to this cultural re-orientation as
the Western academia provided intellectual backing for Euro-centrism,
colonialism and Westernization during their heyday.
7. Since it is generally acknowledged that no nation can develop
outside its culture, the Yoruba language, culture and philosophy have a great
role to play in the quest for development in Yorubaland in particular and
Nigeria as a whole in the 21st Century.
If all the above are taken into consideration, it is my belief that
we would not lose our culture to Westernisation before we attain modernisation
and development.
Conclusion
This paper has taken a historical excursion into the trajectory of
linguistic situation in Nigeria
vis-à-vis the relationship between English Language, the three major Nigerian
languages and other numerous languages. It is shown in the paper that English
Language maintains its domination over other languages while the three major
Nigerian indigenous languages play the second fiddle and the other languages
are non-existent as they are not given any official recognition. If the current
situation is not checked, it may lead to the extinction of many indigenous
languages in Nigeria
in the near future. This, if allowed to happen, would ultimately lead to what
scholars refer to as cultural suicide as languages are the major vehicle for
cultural transmission and survival. This paper concludes that all hands must be
on deck in the promotion of indigenous languages in all spheres of life in
Nigeria – politics and government, economy and social activities. In the final
analysis, this paper submits that our cultural survival in the age of
globalization is greatly dependent on the appreciation and promotion of
indigenous languages, cultures, norms and values. This is, indeed, the great
task before every cultured-individual in contemporary Nigeria.
[i] Chomsky, N. Language
and Mind (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc., 1996), p.1. See also
Ogunsiji, O., “Utilitarian Dimensions of Language in a
Multilingual-Multicultural Nigerian Context” in Babawale, T. and Ogen, O., (eds.),
Culture and Society in Nigeria: Popular
Culture, Language and Intergroup Relations (Lagos: Centre for Black and
African Arts and Civilisation, 2008), p.181
[ii] Hoijer, H., “Language and Writing” in Harry L. Shapiro, (ed.), Man, Culture and Society (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1960), p.196
[iii] Ibid.,
p.197
[iv] UNESCO is cited in Adewole, L.O., “Issues
in Current Studies on African Languages” in Akinrinade, S., Fashina, D.,
Ogungbile D.O. and Famakinwa, J.O., (eds.), Rethinking
the Humanities in Africa (Ile-Ife: Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo
University, 2007), p.340
[v] Ibid.,
p.341
[vi] Oyetade, B.A., “Language and Nationalism:
The Role of Yoruba Language in the Vision, Mission and Objectives of the Yoruba
Parapo – The Yoruba Solidarity Group” in Akinrinade, S., Fashina, D. and
Ogungbile, D.O., (eds.), The Humanities,
Nationalism and Democracy (Ile-Ife: Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo
University, 2006), p.391
[vii] For details, see Unoh, S., “Information
Dissemination: How Effective through Local Languages?” in Ikara, B., (ed.), Nigerian Languages and National Development (Lagos:
The National Language Centre, 1981).
[viii] Babajide, A.O., “Language Attitude
Patterns of Nigerians” in Igboanusi, H. (ed.), Language Attitude and Language Conflict in West Africa (Ibadan:
Encrownfit Publishers, 2001).
[ix] Osoba, S.O. and Fajana, A., “Educational
and Social Development During the Twentieth Century” in Ikime, O. (ed.), Groundwork of Nigerian History (Ibadan:
Heinemann, 1980), p. 570
[x] Abdul, M.O.A., The Historical Origin of Islam (Lagos: Islamic Publication Bureau,
1982), p.121. See also, Fafunwa, A.B., History of Education in Nigeria (London:
George Allen and Unwin Publishers, 1974), p.70
[xi] Falola, T., “Trends in Nigerian Historiography” TransAfrican Journal of History, Vol.
10, No. 1 & 2 (1981), p.99
[xii] Gbadamosi, T.G.O. and Ajayi, J.F.A.,
“Islam and Christianity in Nigeria” in Ikime, O. (ed.), Groundwork of Nigerian History (Ibadan: Heinemann, 1980), p.365.
See also Falola, T., “Trends in Nigerian Historiography” TransAfrican Journal of History, pp.99-100
[xiii] Coleman, J.S., Nigeria: Background to Nationalism (Benin City: Brouburg and
Winstrom, 1986).
[xiv] Banjo, A., Making a Virtue of Necessity: An Overview of English Language in
Nigeria (Ibadan: University of Ibadan
Press, 1996), p.203. See also Osoba, S.O. and Fajana, A., “Educational and
Social Development During the Twentieth Century” in Ikime, O. (ed.), Groundwork, p. 570
[xv] Gbadamosi, T.G.O. and Ajayi, J.F.A.,
“Islam and Christianity in Nigeria” in Ikime, O. (ed.), Groundwork, p.365
[xvi] Ibid.
[xvii] Ajayi, J.F.A., Christian Missions in Nigeria, 1841-1891: The Making of a New Elite
(London: Longman, 1965), p.39
[xviii] Nnaji, C.I., “English as a Global Language
in Multilingual Nigeria and the Plight of the Indigenous Languages” Ikere Journal of Languages. Vol. 2, No. 2 (2004), p.25
[xix] Ibid.
[xx] See the following among others: Igboanusi,
H., A Dictionary of Nigerian English
Usage (Ibadan: Encrown Publishers, 2002); Babatunde, S.T., “The State of
English Language in Nigeria” in Adebayo, L., et al., (eds.), Perspectives on Applied Linguistic in
Language and Literature (Ibadan: Stirling-Horden Publishers, 2002);
Adegbija, E., “The Domestication of English in Nigeria” in Awonusi O. and
Babalola, E.A. (eds.), The Domestication
of English in Nigeria: A Festschrift in Honour of Adetugbo Abiodun (Lagos: University of Lagos Press, 2004); and
Seweje, E.O., The English Language in
Contemporary Nigerian Society (Ado-Ekiti: Green Line Publishers, 2006).
[xxi] Jibril, M., “New Directions in African Linguistics” in Akinrinade,
S., et al. (eds.), Rethinking the
Humanities in Africa (Ile-Ife: Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University,
2007), p.281
[xxii] Ibid.
[xxiii] Ibid.,
p.284
[xxiv] Odia, E.E., “Proposal for Minimising the
Constraints on the Implementation of the National Language Policy” Ikere Journal of Languages Vol. 2. No. 2.
(2004), p.3
[xxv] Ibid.,
pp.1-8
[xxvi] Bamgbose, A., “The English Language in
Nigeria” in Spencer, J., (ed.), The English
Language in West Africa (London: Longman, 1998), p.54
[xxvii] Fafunwa, A.B., History of Education in Nigeria (London: George Allen and Unwin
Publishers, 1974)
[xxviii] Ogunsiji, O., “Utilitarian Dimensions of
Language in a Multilingual-Multicultural Nigerian Context” in Babawale, T. and
Ogen, O., (eds.), Culture and Society in
Nigeria, p.190
[xxix] Oduntan, O.B., “Iwe Irohin and the
Representation of the Universal in Nineteenth-Century Egbaland” History in Africa, Vol. 32 (2005), p.299
[xxx] Bamisaiye, T., ‘An Overview of Socio-Linguistics and the English
Language in Nigeria” in Bamisaiye, T., (ed.), An Integrated Study in Language and Society (Lagos: Majab
Publishers, 1998)
[xxxi] Crystal, D., English as a Global Language (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1997).
[xxxii] Nnaji, C.I., “English as a Global Language
in Multilingual Nigeria and the Plight of the Indigenous Languages”, pp. 23-24
[xxxiii] Trudgil, P., Sociolinguistic Variation and Change (Edinburgh: University of
Edinburgh Press, 2002).
[xxxiv] See for instance, Ansah, S. “Linguistic Imperialism and Minority
Rights: The Language Question in Calabar Municipal Area” in Ndimele, O. (ed.), Language and Culture in Nigeria: A
Festschrift for Okon Essien (Aba: NINLAN, 2004); Ejele, P.E., “Language Use
in a Multilingual Society: An Update on the Nigerian Situation” in Essien, O.
and Okon, M., (eds.), Topical Issues in
Sociolinguistics: The Nigerian Perspectives (Aba: NINLAN, 2003); Okon, M.,
“The Kiong Language in the 21st Century: Problems and Prospects” in
Ndimele, O., (ed.), Language and Culture
in Nigeria: A Festschrift for Okon Essien (Aba: NINLAN, 2004);
Omale-Peters, A., “Minority Languages of the Middle Belt of Nigeria and the
Threat of Extinction” JOLAN: Journal of
the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, Vol. 7 (2000); and Kuju, M.,
“Language Endangerment: An Appraisal of Non-Major Languages in Northern
Nigeria” in Emenanjo, E.N. and Bleambo, P. (eds.), Language Endangerment and Language Empowerment in Nigeria: Theory and
Reality (Vol. 1) (Aba: NINLAN, 1999).
[xxxv] Ugonna, N.,
“Keynote Address – Towards an Effective Preservation of the Indigenous
Traditions of Nigeria” Popular Traditions
of Nigeria (Lagos: Nelson Publishers, 1992).
[xxxvi] Jibril, M., “New Directions in African
Linguistics” in Akinrinade, S., et al. (eds.), Rethinking the Humanities in Africa.
[xxxvii] Ibid.,
p.286
[xxxviii] Ohiri-Aniche, C., “Pipeline Issues in
Higher Education: The Case of Nigerian Universities” in Ford Foundation, (ed.),
Pipeline Issues in West Africa (Lagos:
Ford Foundation, 2001)
[xxxix] NESG, Nigerian
Economic Summit Group Economic Indicators (Lagos: NESG, 2000)
[xl] Dabalen, A., and Oni, B., Labour
Market Prospects of Nigerian Graduates (Washington, DC.: The World Bank,
2000).
[xli] Jibril, M., “New Directions in African
Linguistics” in Akinrinade, S., et al. (eds.), Rethinking the Humanities in Africa.
[xlii] Ibid.,
p.287
[xliii] Bamgbose, A. “Language as a Resource: An
African Perspective” in Ambrose, M., J. Read and Webb, V., (Compilers). 1998
Workshop Papers: The Role of the African Languages in Democratic South Africa. 5-6 March, 1998 (Pretoria: University of
Pretoria, CentRePoL, 1998), p.10
[xliv] Adegoju, Y., “Towards Refocusing
Indigenous Languages for Sanctity: The Yoruba Example” AAU African Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2002), p.131
[xlv] Ibid.,
p.134
[xlvi] Arinze, E.N., “Education in a Traditional
System: Analysis of Cultural Patterns of Education” Popular Traditions of Nigeria (Lagos: Nelson Publishers Ltd., 1992),
p.29
[xlvii] Adegoju, Y., “Towards Refocusing
Indigenous Languages for Sanctity”, pp.130-131
[xlviii] Osundare, N., “From Oral to Written:
Aspects of the Socio-Stylistic Repercussions of Transition” Journal of African and Comparative
Literature, No. 1.(1981).
[xlix] Adeyemi, S.T. “Cultural Nationalism: The
‘Nollywoodization’ of Nigerian Cinema” in Akinrinade, S., Fashina, D. and
Ogungbile, D.O. (eds.), The Humanities,
Nationalism and Democracy (Ile-Ife: Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo
University, 2006)
[l] Osundare, N., “From Oral to Written:
Aspects of the Socio-Stylistic Repercussions of Transition”, p.12
[li] Adegoju, Y., “Towards Refocusing
Indigenous Languages for Sanctity”, p. 135
[lii] Oloruntimehin, B.O., “Rethinking
Humanities Scholarship in Africa” in Akinrinade, S., et al., (eds.), Rethinking The Humanities in Africa (Ile-Ife:
Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, 2007), pp.391-404
[liii] Oyetade, B.A., “Language and Nationalism:
The Role of Yoruba Language in the Vision, Mission and Objectives of the Yoruba
Parapo – The Yoruba Solidarity Group”, pp.391-394
[liv] Adekoya, O., “Literature and Nationalism:
The Example of Soyinka” in Akinrinade, S., Fashina D. and Ogungbile, D.O.
(eds.), The Humanities, Nationalism and
Democracy (Ile-Ife: Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, 2006).
[lv] See Mazrui A. Ali, Cultural Forces in World Politics (London: James Currey Ltd, 1990)
cited in Falola, Toyin, The Powers of
African Cultures (Rochester, New York: University of Rochester Press,
2003), p.49
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