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<strong>Nigerian Army</strong>
Reps kicks against new language policy</h2>
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<span style="font-size:inherit"><a id="gmail-PXLINK_2_0_1" class="gmail-pxInta" href="http://www.pulse.ng/news/local/reps-oppose-armys-new-local-language-policy-id7667425.html#">The House</a></span> also urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai to stop the implementation of the policy.</p>
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<ul class="gmail-source"><li class="gmail-">Published: <time datetime="2017-11-30">30.11.2017</time> </li><li class="gmail-last"><span> Pulse News Agency Local by NAN</span></li></ul>
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<div class="gmail-vspace"><h3 align="justify">The House of Representatives on Wednesday, kicked against the new local language policy proposed by the Nigerian Army.</h3><p align="justify">The House also urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai to stop the implementation of the<u><a href="http://www.pulse.ng/news/local/army-orders-soldiers-to-learn-hausa-igbo-yoruba-id7633438.html" target="_blank"> policy.</a></u></p><p align="justify">The
House noted that the policy sought to compel all personnel to be
proficient in three major Nigerian languages: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba by
December 2018.</p><p align="justify">The resolution was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion, sponsored by <strong>Rep. Abiante Dagomie</strong> and<strong> Rep. Diri Douye.</strong></p><div class="gmail-teads-inread" style="margin:auto;height:384px;max-width:644px"><div style="margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px"><div class="gmail-teads-ui-components-label" style="display:block">ADVERTISING</div></div></div><p align="justify">Moving the motion, Dagomie reiterated the need for the Army to continue with the practice of communicating in <span style="font-size:inherit"><a id="gmail-PXLINK_1_0_0" class="gmail-pxInta" href="http://www.pulse.ng/news/local/reps-oppose-armys-new-local-language-policy-id7667425.html#">English language</a></span> in a multi-lingual Army.</p><p align="justify">Dagomie,
who said that the policy infringed on the fundamental rights of the
minority languages in the country, added that it would serve no purpose
beyond fractionalisation and marginalisation in the Army.</p><p align="justify">He said, <em>“Nigeria is home to languages, numbering about 400 and that language gives insight into the personality and culture of a people.</em></p><p align="justify"><em>“Therefore,
such a local language policy proposed by the Nigerian Army infringes on
the fundamental rights of the minorities not to be foisted with the
linguistic and cultural hegemonies of major languages</em></p><p align="justify"><em>“This
situation, should it continue unabated, will lead to discrimination and
exclusion from employment opportunities, promotion and ambush of the
legitimate aspirations of overwhelming numbers of non-native speakers of
Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa in the Army.</em></p><p align="justify"><em>“Nigerian
society is heterogeneous and as such, in contemplating policies, care
must be taken to steer discourse to what is integrating, progressive and
amenable.</em></p><p align="justify"><em>“This is to ensure
mass involvement in the national development and democratic processes
rather than pandering to primordial or tribal biases</em></p><p align="justify"><strong>ALSO READ:</strong> <u><a href="http://www.pulse.ng/news/local/5-reasons-why-soldiers-must-now-speak-igbo-yoruba-hausa-id7636008.html" target="_blank">5 reasons why soldiers must speak Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa</a></u></p><div class="gmail-teads-inread" style="margin:auto;height:384px;max-width:644px"><div style="margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px"><div class="gmail-teads-ui-components-label" style="display:block">ADVERTISING</div></div></div><p align="justify"><em>“The
policy flies in the face of an increasingly globalising world where
proficiency in an international language is the current inclination.</em></p><p align="justify"><em>“When we all use the same language, we have a common understanding of precisely what we mean and what is expected.’’</em></p><p align="justify">The Deputy Speaker, <strong>Yusuf Lasun,</strong>
presided over the plenary, referred the motion to the Committee on Army
to interface with the Chief of Army Staff on the policy with a view to
ensuring a stop to it.</p><p align="justify">The committee is to report back in four weeks.</p></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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