STATUS STRUGGLE: EVALUATION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN NIGERIA
Chapter One:
Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
Language is seen as the main tool of communication between the members of a society that use it. According to Alan D. DeSantis, language is “a structured system of signs, sounds, gestures, or marks that is used and understood to express ideas and feelings among people within a community, nation, geographic area or cultural tradition” (80). I. O. Balogun sees language as “a cultural tool for the easy identification of a people and should be allowed to be learnt from birth to adulthood for the promotion of a people’s culture and tradition” (1). The English language in Nigeria stands against the three major indigenous languages which are; Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. The minor languages in Nigeria are believed to be over 450 in number.
A language can only gain prominence with reference to the people who speak it. The presence and use of the English language in Nigeria have shown greater importance more than the other three national languages. This is because in a multilingual environment, it is the usefulness of a language that determines the status or importance of the language in the midst of other competing languages in the linguistic market place. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report on endangered indigenous languages states that the Igbo language in Eastern Nigeria faces the risk of possible extinction in the next 50 years (beginning from 2001), if nothing is done to revive the language. Since then, Nigeria has been on the plan to engage her citizens in revitalising the indigenous languages.
Emenajo Nolue is of the view that language is the key to the heart of a people. He further states that a lost language is a lost tribe, a lost tribe is a lost culture, a lost culture is invaluable knowledge lost (20). Nancy H. Horberger in this view intones that language shift is the gradual displacement of one language by another in the lives of the community members, manifested as
loss in number of speakers, level of proficiency, or range of functional use of language (1). The awareness of these facts has resulted to a struggle by Nigeria’s indigenous languages that have been shaken by the English language.
It is a fact that the English language did not just surface in Nigeria on its own. It passed through stages based on the levels of interaction in the history of Nigeria such as trading, missionary activities, slavery and colonization. This means that the language in Nigeria is a second language. Solomon O. Oyetade recognises the language as a second language because Nigerians already have their first language or mother tongue (L1) before the incursion of English (14).
It is good to understand what a native language is, and what a mother tongue is, in the context of the English language in Nigeria. Historically, the English language is not a native language in Nigeria. However, recent studies on the English language in Nigeria show that the language due to the functional load it carries and the process of grooming the younger generation in the language has become a native language.
Indigenous language intellectuals or activists who have continued in the struggle for language revitalisation have been criticised in the sense that their Western education precludes them from writing or speaking from a real and authentic indigenous position, especially those who do not speak from a more traditional indigenous point (Linda Tuhiwai Smith 14). Edward Said has asked: “Who writes? For whom is the writing being? For what circumstances?” (7). In this circumstance, full representation of culture and identity is not observed by the promoters of the indigenous language revival. Hence, not everything about them, including their outlook or appearance can identify them solely as native people so long they have tasted the Western education
The fact remains that no government has ever existed and sustained itself without having language as its propeller. Therefore, the function of the English language can be seen manifesting in different sectors in Nigeria’s administration and economy. As an inheritance package, the Nigerian government has come to sustain the language of her colonial master. So, one is justified when one says that corporations and parastatals in their memoranda, minutes, circulars, et cetera, are distinctively and correctly carried out through the medium of English. Because of this, the national language(s) has/have been conditioned and the proliferation on the use of the English language has continued to gain recognisable strength in the political affairs of Nigeria.
The English language which has risen to the status of Nigeria’s official language is important to the survival of the country since Nigeria, according to C. C. Njoku and L. C. Ilechukwu, is a multilingual, multi-religious and multicultural complex society (abstract). The question of ‘peace, unity and progress’ is connected to the language. In it lies the strength of the country in the world. The English language is also important because “the people who speak it are important – politically, economically, commercially, socially and culturally,” (Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable 8). Therefore, the English language is remarkable in the making and unification of Nigeria. So many functions which are considerably indispensable have been accorded to it. These functions are not debatable if Nigeria has the dream of working and sustaining its ‘Peace, Unity and Progress’ embedded in the Nation’s coat of arm. This means that Nigeria cannot avoid the use of the language. Onuigbo and Eyisi maintain that “there is no better linguistic candidate for national integration, unity and identity than the English Language. No Nigerian Language can be considered as a useful tool for this Herculean task” (46).
Contrarily, many researchers such as A. E. Afigbo (1972), Smith (2012), Fanon (1990),
C.A Eme (2004), A. O. Olarenwaju(2014), Inno Uzoma Nwadike (2008), Dikshit (1974) and others, feel that the struggle should continue. According to Smith, “To acquiesce is to lose ourselves entirely and implicitly agree with all that has been said about us. To resist is to retrench in the margins, retrieve what we were and remake ourselves” (4). Dikshit observes that the idea of forcing students to think in the foreign language is unproductive (47).
It appears as if the English language stands to win in the struggle. This is because most families of the younger generation have denied their wards the chances of being raised in their native language. E.J Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi and P.A. Ezema observe that the attitude of the society towards the English language learning is warm as most parents equate education with the ability to use the English language for communication (3). Therefore, their children have English as their mother tongue. Some other parents, as observed by C. Duruaku and Eme, have discouraged their children from speaking their native language, with the view that it will be difficult for the children to socialise, communicate competently or network in school. Despite the recent policy on the language of teaching and learning in the primary schools, the implementation has not been effected.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Researchers have observed that many minority languages in Nigeria are at risk of extinction while some have already been lost totally. Consequently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported on endangered indigenous languages which includes the Igbo language as one with the risk of possible extinction in the next 50 years (beginning from 2001) if nothing is done to revive the language. Since then, so
much attention has been brought to other indigenous languages – especially the major ones. The reason for this is that so much attention has been given to the usage of the English language by Nigeria and Nigerians at the detriment of the indigenous ones, which has led to high indication of language extinction. The act of revitalising the indigenous languages has therefore, resulted to debates and policies formulated to aid the indigenous languages.
However, in this study, literature is lacking on the status struggle by the indigenous languages to “dethrone” the English language. The problem of this research is therefore, framed at evaluating the struggle between the indigenous languages and the English language. The researcher would want to understand the extent to which this status struggle has been, and to find out if it would turn out to be a fruitful struggle for the indigenous languages. If it will not be to their favour, the researcher will recommend a way out based on the findings.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
It is a fact that several studies have been done on the English language and the danger its presence portends on the indigenous languages in Nigeria, especially the minority languages, and on indigenous language revitalisation. However, no special attention has been paid on the status struggle between the indigenous languages and the English language in Nigeria. Since the prediction of UNESCO in 2000 that one of the three major Nigerian languages will face extinction in fifty years to come, a lot of measures have been taken by the government, individuals, NGOs, the media and many others to ensure that this prediction will not be fulfilled. The purpose of this study is therefore to:
1. evaluate the extent to which the English language has been utilised by Nigerians thereby making them not to want to learn their indigenous languages;
2. find out the extent to which the government, public and private sectors, individuals, groups, artists, the media and the entertainment industries are working to revive the indigenous languages in Nigeria
3. determine if English will become Nigeria’s overall language/identity.
1.4. Significance of the Study
On completion of this study, it would have been determined from the analysis of data collected that the main independent variable considered in the evaluation of the struggle to “dethrone” the English language in Nigeria are realised. The result of this study will be beneficial to the government and the educational sector, the media, teachers, parents, learners, and the common society.
If the evaluation works against the favour of the indigenous languages, this study will enable the English language learners to strive for a stronger base in the language. The English language teachers will see it as an avenue to inculcate proper mastery of the language in their learners. The government and its educational sector will focus on binding and moving the affairs of the nation forward in the language which is common to all. This study will also enable the common societies at large to prepare their languages and dialects for proper historical documentation, so that their generations after can have a better understanding of their ancestors or sources.
1.5 Scope of the Study
This research has its focus on the evaluation of the status struggle between the indigenous languages and the English language in Nigeria. This status struggle is mainly to dethrone the
English language in the various areas it has held Nigeria and her citizens captive. The study is also aimed at finding out the language that will eventually win in the struggle. This work also tries to understand why the English language is indispensable in the daily affairs of Nigerians as well as the impact it holds in the language of its literature. In addition, this work aims at refuting the idea or notion of ‘Nigerian English’ viewing it as a mere adjective that cannot solve the problem of the language identification with the indigenous ones.
1.6 Limitation of the Study
This research is limited to the existing sociological, psychological, literary sources, oral interviews, the media and entertainment industry productions. The interviews are in no form exaggerated. In addition, since this study aims at evaluating the status struggle between the English language and the indigenous languages in Nigeria, it is proper to cover the six geo- political zones. However, due to the condition of Nigeria at the time of this research, and for the fact that the Hausa speaking zones are three out of the six zones, one among them will be selected. In the end, the research will only be conducted in four zones. Inadequate fund for transportation to the areas chosen for this study and other things contributed as factors that limited this research.
1.7 Definition of Terms
The term “status” is defined in ordinary parlance as a social or professional position, condition, or standing to which varying degrees of responsibility, privilege, and esteem are attached. Thus, it describes one’s state of being, condition or situation. Status can be determined in two ways. It
can be earned through achievements which are known as achieved status. Alternatively, it can be placed in the stratification system by inherited position, which is called ascribed status.
According to Wikipedia, ascribed statuses can be defined as those that are fixed for an individual at birth. Ascribed statuses that exist in all societies include those based upon sex, ethnic group and family background. They are given and taught many social roles as they are socially positioned into a family and becoming equipped with all these traits and characteristics. On the other hand, achieved status means also what the individual acquires during his or her lifetime as a result of the exercise of knowledge, ability, skill and/or perseverance.
From the forgoing, Hornberger identifies the status of a people with language shift as “the gradual displacement of one language by another in the lives of the community members”
(1) manifested as loss in number of speakers, level of proficiency, or range of functional use of the language. The contrasting term has traditionally been language maintenance, which “denotes the continuing use of a language in the face of competition from a regionally and socially more powerful or numerically stronger language” (1).
