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cuu1_liberties@yahoo.com New York, USA

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WHAT LANGUAGE SHOULD NIGERIA ADOPT AS ITS NATIONAL LANGUAGE

Suffice it to say that Nigeria for over 45 years of its existence has erroneously and shamelessly adopted another man's language [English] as its national language and has atrociously gone as far as making English his own. To the point, that this miscued behavior in this writer's view, is attributed to its unforgotten nemesis foreign-interventionism since it was founded, including post-slavery, post-colonial-traumatic syndrome. Let the healing begin today. I suggest that English language become the last language [or even jettisoned] after all other languages in Nigeria.

The fact that we are still using English language as our national language by application reveals an appalling state of the nation's psyche about its identity and direction as a Republic. English language showcases, and as part of the conspiracy theory: the De-Nigerianization of Nigeria languages that curiously pitches us in trenches one with another. Regionalism, tribalism and nepotism are partly, traceable to our misunderstanding of our regional and tribal languages found in the Nigeria-state. Nationalism, self-actualization and national identity will continue to elude us in as much as we live, adore and dwell on anything foreign and disrespect and de-best anything indigenous. On your face fellow citizens, commentators and visitors alike, both in the homeland and in Diaspora of Nigerian origin. I have a question to ask each of you.

My question to you is what language would you prefer as Nigerian national language?

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Could it be Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba or any other? It is important to make the language case as part of the ongoing national dialogue. I have presented to you three major languages of Nigeria, simply put the Big Three [BT] clans. This is because the BT are Nigerians' dominant groups, dominant languages and its macro-nemesis since its founders carved it out in 1914 and call it - Nigeria. Yes we know and understand that Nigeria is a child of circumstance. You can call it a bastard and what not. Regardless, at the end of the day, Nigeria-state has come to stay unless we say to each other and, peacefully through national dialogue that we are tired of each other and have decided to bid each other farewell - meaning to your tents oh Israel. Otherwise, we have to figure it out by coming together linguistically.

As a reminder on this national issue, I have enclosed some of my previous linguistic constructs or matters which were raised in my previous article[s] in response to another article, "Ngozi as our Next President" project. In part of that article I retorted thus: "Many Nigerians in far lands, more often than not have gone through hypnotization and pornographization and other social-cultural transformations to the point that they confuse developments at home with those found in their adopted countries. These and other borrowed elements from foreign countries are more often than not are antithetical to the psycho-cultural dynamics found in the homeland. For example statistics show that about 90 percent of Nigerians in foreign lands by omission or commission, negligence or ineptitudes or all of the above do not speak, read or educate their children in their local Nigerian-dialects. Yet these groups claim patriotism while linguistically their practices at their individual homes are antithetical and unpatriotic. For me, to speak, read and educate our children in our local dialects are elements of patriotism and indeed a national pride."

That said and as part, of the ongoing national dialogue in finding the way forward for the country called Nigeria, what language[s] should it adopt as its national language? Admittedly, suffice it to say that the question projected above is a hard nut to crack in today's Nigerian socio-political-theater. Ethnical and regional chauvinism and pseudo-patriotism are impediments that would allow for an intelligent judgment when it comes to selecting a singular language acceptable to all Nigerians for its national language.

There is nothing wrong in trying with an open mindedness. After all, developing new language mechanism[s], by adopting three languages for all Nigerians - Hausa language, Igbo-language and Yoruba-language ahead of English language for example, in addition to other languages found across Nigeria is a doable and a beautiful thing to do. When this concept is accomplished, Nigeria will become a model and a standard of accomplishment hallmark. By accomplishing something never accomplished anywhere in the world, Nigeria would have broken record, set the pace and become a model to other nations when it comes to co-existence and national pride. Through this dreamed track record, other nationals would flood our land for research and lean and seek to know how we succeeded in this. They will come to us to learn something; to learn something unique from Nigerians in additions to her other accomplishments. Fellow Nigerians impossibility is nothing. If records show that it was possible and doable in China, Russia, Britain and elsewhere, then it is possible and doable in Nigeria.

We cannot continue to use other national's [English] language while our local dialects and or language[s] are in decline in our homeland, homes and workplaces. Our youths are facing humongous challenges at home and in Diaspora when it comes to our languages and some of our parents, brothers and sisters are not doing a good job in this matter. Markedly, something is wrong and something needs be done to check this national decline with immediacy. A decline in the use of our languages is a decline in character, ethics, education, culture, traditions, and everything-else. Could you imagine, during this Holidays, I place a call to my family in Nigeria, and I spoke Igbo language with my parents and everything went pretty well. When it comes to my younger brothers and sisters some of them, not all, wanted to converse with me in English language even though I was communicating with and speaking to them in Igbo language. As far as, linguistic and its mechanics are concern - the foregoing scenario was a catastrophe right there, obviously.

How come if you go to China, Chinese speak, teach, educate, trade and transact in Chinese language; if you go to Russian, Russians speak, teach, educate, trade and transact in Russian language; if you go to Germany, Germans speak, teach, educate, trade and transact in German language; if you go to Britain, the Britons speak, teach, educate, trade and transact in English language; if you go to Arab countries, Arabs teach, educate, trade and transact governmental and or private businesses in Arabic language; if you go to France, the French teach, educate, trade and transact their businesses in French language. Sadly and unfortunately, when you come to Nigeria-state, with its beautiful regions, and beautiful tribes you see something different and missing - language decline, strangely so. It forces its citizenry to teach, educate, and transact its businesses and governmental activities in foreign language - called English. This is a smack in the face and a disgrace to Nigerians, Nigerian nationalism and its national pride.

Even our President and leaders should begin to use our languages or any of the Big Three [BT] languages to communicate at the intergovernmental functions. We should teach and learn the BT languages. Where necessary use it at the comity of nations. Nationalities who find it difficult to comprehend it/them at the UN or other international platforms i.e., our language[s], then other means should be provided with trained and equipped interpreters and other means and other availabilities should be made accessible for individuals or persons with disabilities in the host and or visiting member-states and again if at the comity of nations or at other international gatherings effort should be made in this way. This is a national duty and responsibility for each of us.

National language has its advantages: It is will improve, increase our tourism-network and better our national, regional and local economies. For example those multinationals coming to partner with us within the oil industry and others will have to smarten-out and begin to learn our languages if not it might be impossible to operate and do deals within the industry and other industries. It will also move our languages to the global stage and even become internationalized - this internationalization will set her up to compete with other international languages in that order. Our languages will become a source of revenue because individuals and nations will flood our land to learn our languages in other to do business with us just as we are flooding their lands and learning their languages and do business with them. It is a fair game.

Our local authorities or instructors in this area of industry - linguistically will become high value assets, in high demands, respected at home and abroad. Everything is not oil and gas; our language[s] could generate us funds and better our economy, an additional engineering and source of revenue for the homeland. Let us choose one language or use the Big Three [BT] Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba languages as our national language[s] today. This is part of who we are. It is our national and local identity and a rubricon in preservation of our national pride. Nationally, regionally and locally our caveat and method of communication with one another will improve tremendously and get better each passing day if we pay attention in this new avenue. We will communicate with each other better and richer than before because it is our mothers' tongue. With an acceptable national language[s], we will be able to build better bridges for ourselves and for all mankind in the 21st century. Using our local dialects and languages, we will be smarter and stronger people and a stronger and smarter nation.