[lg policy] Nigerian govt. must intervene to prevent extinction of minority languages

[Harold Schiffman]

 Nigerian govt. must intervene to prevent extinction of minority languages
– Experts
December 6, 2016
<http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/217190-nigerian-govt-must-intervene-prevent-extinction-minority-languages-experts.html>Andrew
Ajijah <http://www.premiumtimesng.com/author/andrew-ajijah>
[image: Unijos]
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Nigeria’s government needs to restrategise on a national language policy to
avoid about 50 indigenous minority languages going to extinction, an expert
has said.

The President, Linguistic Association of Nigeria, LAN, Chinyere
Ohiri-Aniche, stated this on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of the
29th annual conference of the association holding at the University of Jos,
Plateau State.

She did not list the affected minority languages, some of the over 250
languages spoken by different ethnic groups across Nigeria.

“Let me also use this opportunity to advise the federal government on the
need to reawaken the national language policy project which is moribund
already,” she said.

Represented by LAN Vice President Harrison Adeniye, Ms. Ohiri-Aniche called
for the establishment of language centres to prevent possible extinction of
most minority languages in the country.

“We would like to use this opportunity to remind you, sir, of the promise
made on behalf of the university to establish the centre for minority
languages in your institution,” she said while addressing the
representative of the vice chancellor of the Jos university.

“We know this centre when established will go a long way in documenting and
revitalizing well over fifty languages, most of which are moribund.”

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Sebastian Maimako, in an
address lamented that there was a decline in cultural and ethnic language
speaking among some Nigerians.

Represented by the Dean, Faculty of Arts, of the university, Tor Iorapuu,
Mr. Maimako charged the linguistic association to fashion out a way of
revitalizing moribund languages in the country.

“Given this unfortunate situation of language and cultural decline in our
various immediate communities, I enjoin you as teachers, scholars and
professional researchers in the academic discipline of linguist as well as
in other related areas of language studies to deliberate and fashion out
viable means of readdressing issues of inadequacies relating to the
documentation and revitalization of minority languages in Nigeria.”

The Vice Chancellor charged parents and teachers to teach young people how
to speak and write in local languages.

“Revitalization of minority languages in Nigeria is key, such that our
children can grow to speak and write in our indigenous languages,” he said.

The LAN 5-day annual national conference ends on Friday after which a
communiqué is expected.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/217190-nigerian-govt-must-intervene-prevent-extinction-minority-languages-experts.html


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