A Lagos academic has warned that Nigeria’s indigenous languages risk extinction unless parents and the government take urgent steps.
Professor Joy Odewunmi of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) urged parents to speak native languages to their children and make them attractive to younger generations. She said the brain can learn thousands of languages and that exposure to mother tongues from early childhood was key to preservation.
Odewunmi presented her findings from a TETFUND-supported research project on using colouring books and animations to teach Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba proverbs in primary schools. She noted that despite the 2022 National Policy on Education mandating mother tongue instruction, the use of indigenous languages continues to decline.
Other scholars also raised concerns. Dr Ngozi Dom-Anyanwu said many teachers of indigenous languages were unqualified and called for more training and instructional materials. Prof. Oladayo Akomu added that research findings should be implemented to strengthen language education, praising Lagos State for introducing Yoruba in all tertiary institutions.
Speakers urged both federal and state governments to recruit and train teachers, invest in resources, and ensure policies are enforced to halt the erosion of Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.
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