<div dir="ltr"><h1 class="" itemprop="name">Are we not burdened enough that we must yet add learning French to Nigeria’s problems?</h1>
<div class=""><span class="">Posted By: <span class=""><a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/author/david/">Oyinkan Medubi</a></span></span><span>on: February 14, 2016</span><span>In: <a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/category/columnists/oyinkan-medubi/" title="View all posts in Oyinkan Medubi">Oyinkan Medubi</a></span><span><a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/are-we-not-burdened-enough-that-we-must-yet-add-learning-french-to-nigerias-problems/#respond">No Comments</a></span><div class=""><a rel="nofollow" class=""><i class=""> </i>Print</a><a href="mailto:?subject=Are%20we%20not%20burdened%20enough%20that%20we%20must%20yet%20add%20learning%20French%20to%20Nigeria%E2%80%99s%20problems?&body=Are%20we%20not%20burdened%20enough%20that%20we%20must%20yet%20add%20learning%20French%20to%20Nigeria%E2%80%99s%20problems?%20http://thenationonlineng.net/are-we-not-burdened-enough-that-we-must-yet-add-learning-french-to-nigerias-problems/" rel="nofollow" class=""><i class=""> </i>Email</a></div></div><div class="">
<div class="">
<div class="">
<a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/are-we-not-burdened-enough-that-we-must-yet-add-learning-french-to-nigerias-problems/#"><span class="">Share</span></a>
<span class=""><span>1</span></span>
</div>
<div class="">
<a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/are-we-not-burdened-enough-that-we-must-yet-add-learning-french-to-nigerias-problems/#"><span class="">Tweet</span></a>
<span class="">0</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class=""> <p><em>The
resources that would otherwise have been used to enforce this decision
can be better employed in developing writing systems for our many
unwritten languages so that they will no longer die just because the
speakers are dying. The speakers will bless us for this. France itself
can assist in this venture.</em></p>
<p>There is an estimate in scholarship that Nigeria presently houses
over four hundred and fifty (450) indigenous languages within her
linguistic walls, in addition to English and Arabic. It is also
estimated that nearly, if not all, have an appreciable number of
speakers, no matter how few they are. Once, one language in Nigeria was
said to have only two (2) speakers left, if they have not emigrated to
Australasia, or died.</p>
<p>As of now, very few of these languages have been developed to the
point of having literature written in them; and fewer still even have
alphabets. Yet, scholars agree that it would be a crying shame to let
any of these languages go into extinction because of the nation’s
indifference. And what is the cause of that indifference, you might ask?
We have plenty of languages to spare.</p>
<p>This means that if we run out of languages within the country, we can
always call on those of our neighbours. I guess this is why the
Minister of State for Education felt confident enough to state not too
long ago that Nigerians would soon be called upon to learn French even
up to the tertiary level, if only for the sake of our neighbours. As if
we did not have enough problems, no? Ha, ha!</p>
<p>I have nothing against French. It’s a fine language, but is it for
us? Just consider, out of these 450+ languages, Nigeria is presently
using only a fraction of them for her internal and external affairs.
With English lording it over everybody anyways, even those few find
themselves with little or nothing to do. Well, for one thing, they just
generally provide an alternative way of saying something already said in
the official language; and for another, they provide a means for ethnic
brothers to bond. For a third reason, they probably allow people to
think in their native intelligences.</p><div id="adcode">
<ins class="" style="display:inline-block;width:640px;height:90px"><ins id="aswift_5_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:90px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="aswift_5_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:90px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:640px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
<p>Scholars have told us – bless these scholars for the things they keep
telling us – that each language has its own logic and thought system.
Therefore, learning more than one language means learning and having
more than one thought system. As it is now, Nigerians, young and old,
who speak their native tongues alongside English, have thought systems
that can only be called convoluted. But I guess it builds bridges across
the two languages. This is why the old woman in their village is the
one doing them; you’re the one I’m greeting; and oh yes, you are
well-swallowing of something (for <em>eku igbeun kan mi</em>). These
just make you wonder how elastic a language can be, right, or whether it
is gradually coming apart. Now, that is a point of interest to many of
us. With so many languages to think in, are you surprised that Nigerians
are not able to think straight?</p>
<p>More importantly, don’t you think we have enough trouble already with
the English that was forced on us? To add another language to
Nigerians’ plate of repertoires is to add another thought system to the
confusion. People will now not know whether to take the native thought
through English first into French or vice versa or let them all meet at
the crossroads. I think the latter will make for some very interesting
utterances, such as you’re the one je suis greeting. That is Frenglish
in Yoruba, no?</p>
<p>Let’s see what the Nigerian language policy in education says. Part
of it says that the Nigerian child is expected to learn one Nigerian
language other than his/her own in primary school and another one in
secondary school, all alongside English. This means that the average
Nigerian child is expected to function effectively in four languages.</p>
<p>This policy does not take into consideration the varying
intelligences of children. True, there be some among them who can walk
through eight languages without any hassles. On the contrary, many there
be among them, if not most, who can hardly cope with one language; yet,
as scholars have told us, languages are best acquired or learnt in
childhood. If young, sharp children are having problems learning
languages with internal structures that are not too far from their own
language families, what chances will there be for them or their older
generations in tertiary institutions to cope with more foreign
languages?</p>
<p>Language learning is sometimes accelerated when materials are
accessible and well trained teachers are available. The reason why the
Nigerian language policy in education has not been too strong on ground
is not too difficult to guess: no funds. Teachers are not being trained –
no funds; text books are not being written – no funds; teaching aids
and audio-visual materials are not being developed – no funds; many
Nigerian languages have no orthography – you guessed it, no funds! So,
forgive me for asking, but where on earth will the funds come from to
provide all these with regard to French?</p>
<p>Come now, let us reason together. Two of the disadvantages of using
English for national affairs have been pointed out. Foreign languages do
not give the African that sense of identity a language normally should
give; and the fact that they do not give that needed national security
that a nation desperately needs. Native languages give both.</p>
<p>True, this country cannot afford to go around translating every
cough, sneeze and laughter of the president or myself (thank you so much
for noticing that I also cough, sneeze and laugh) into 450+ languages;
yet, many of our national affairs actually need to be kept secret,
particularly from foreigners like you. Now, how on earth can we do that
with all our records being legible in English? We plod on nevertheless
for economic reasons, but not by now adding French. Why, that will
definitely be making our records available to the…</p>
<p>Just think too, how jealous other world powers will be if we adopt
French as a third foreign language. I’m talking about countries like
Germany, Japan, China, etc. They are going to want to know why the most
populous black nation on earth is leaving them out of its schools. Have
they not traded with us? They have. Have they not been good to us? They
have. Have they not also colonised us economically if not politically?
They have. After all, nearly everything we use now comes from China. So,
we cannot go around learning a foreign language just because the owner
countries are somewhere around us.</p>
<p>English is very present in China, Japan, Germany, etc., yet the
governments of those countries have not compelled their schools’
curricula to change on that account. Rather, they have given their
citizens the freedom to learn whatever language they see the need to.
Many Japanese and Chinese see the need to learn English, so they do it.
That is not the country’s business.</p>
<p>Rather than compel our young ones to divert their needed mental
resources to learning yet another language, this country should
encourage them to pay more attention to the contents of their syllabi as
they stand. The focus should be to use the syllabi to bring the best
out of every child and student, and help them to be maximally
productive. One more language will not do this; it may even retard all
progress.</p>
<p>Most importantly, we are burdened enough. The resources that would
otherwise have been used to enforce this decision can be better employed
in developing writing systems for our many unwritten languages so that
they will no longer die just because the speakers are dying. The
speakers will bless us for this. France itself can assist in this
venture.</p>
<a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/are-we-not-burdened-enough-that-we-must-yet-add-learning-french-to-nigerias-problems/">http://thenationonlineng.net/are-we-not-burdened-enough-that-we-must-yet-add-learning-french-to-nigerias-problems/</a><br></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
</div>