Language can be said to be one of the foundations of human civilization. At one point in history, humans were able to develop a spoken form of communication among themselves but it isn't as simple as it is spelt out. Human language is historically and culturally diverse, with a lot of variations between cultures and across time.
Natural language, which is a medium of communication, has also been used as a tool of dominance in the past decades and centuries through means like colonialism.
With the human language being diverse across cultures and continents, some politically weaker cultural or ethnic groups with their own distinct languages have been subdued by larger or more powerful groups. This came with so many consequences - one of them includes the weaker groups being forced to adopt the language of the colonialist groups.
Nigeria and Her Languages
Nigeria, before it became the federation we know it as today, comprised several independent ethnic states that had their distinct cultural and political structures. Even as many parts of the geographical location began encountering foreigners from the west as far back as the 16th century, it wasn't until the 19th century where the British kick-started their colonisation project in the region.
By 1914, the British formally united the Southern and the Northern Nigeria Protectorates into the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. This now means that every region present in modern Nigeria was brought under a uniform administration of the British government.
As a colony, Nigeria adopted the language of the British, which is English, as her lingua franca. Schools and other institutions that propagated English as the standard language were established. Hence new generations of Nigerians who were born into this system that paid very little attention to their own indigenous languages.
Decline in the Mother Tongue
It's been over six decades since Nigeria got her independence yet there is a steady decline in native language speakers across various states and regions.
As of 2021, Hausa was recorded as the most widely spoken indigenous language in Nigeria. This is largely so because Hausa appears to be the informal official language of most parts in northern Nigeria. Consequently, the popularity of the Hausa language in the said region has also contributed to the near-extinction of some languages spoken by many northern natives.
Following Hausa in terms of indigenous languages spoken by most people are Yoruba and Igbo respectively. With this information, it can be deduced that the inherent large number of these groups have helped them in richly preserving their languages till now even though there still exist a lot of natives who do not grasp the language.
Even as this particular trend poses more danger to much smaller ethnic groups, it is still an alarming issue that affects all ethnicities across Nigeria. Many young Nigerians today do not have an idea of their native languages. Some who understand at least do not know how to speak.
This sad trend is caused by various factors. One of them includes the elitist treatment of English as a language given by Nigerians. If english is perceived as a somewhat superior language, then there was/is little to no reason to keep up with indigenous languages. Parents who at least have a more solid grasp of their indigenous languages still communicate with their children in English. The lack of utility for these languages on a global scale also added to their suppression.
Another factor leading to the decline in native speakers among our generation is the growth in urbanisation, where people literally travel from one end of the country to settle in order, all for the search of a greener pasture. They raise a new family there, who are far away from their hometown therefore depriving them of a place where they could fit in easily to learn their native language. The lack of written documentation of these languages has also contributed to their lack of preservation.
Language Preservation Methods
With these issues highlighted, it is imperative to discuss practical solutions that are needed for the preservation of native languages and to encourage young people in speaking them.
-Providing proper written documentations of these languages is one of the most efficient ways of ensuring their continuity. Research aimed at exploring the nuances of these languages should be funded. In doing so, many of these languages can be introduced into the Nigerian education curriculum. With the help of the research, teachers are also trained to be well equipped for the propagation of indigenous languages.
-Media contents and community programmes promoting these languages should also be encouraged. Media such as news, websites, movies and other forms of entertainment should be done in indigenous languages. There should be more digital publications done in those languages. Initiatives such as literacy programmes and community-based programmes promoting indigenous languages should be frequently organized.
-Cultural events and festivals showcasing traditions and native languages should be highly promoted, inculcating features that would attract the younger generations.
-Finally, there should be adequate investment in language technology such as translation tools and speech recognition software to improve communication in native languages. Artificial intelligence solutions that can process and understand indigenous languages should also be developed.
The Way Forward
Some of the solutions offered appears to lack feasibility given the current socioeconomic state of the country but it is important that nigerians become conscious of this particular problem at hand and forge ahead with some of the more easily attainable solutions such as a cultural reset of how indigenous languages are viewed, thereby encouraging even the most informal education - from parents or guardians to children or wards.
Beyond the aesthetic essence of promoting an indigenous language, it is crucial to note that the loss of a language by a people is the loss of a huge chunk of their root and identity and when an identity is lost, such a people who experience the loss continue to live in the shadows of other people's identity and culture.
The loss of a language also takes away an important part of a nation's history because as the language declines, so do the authentic cultural expressions of the people who speak it.
Iko Odoba
Writer, Nigeria
