Features
Promoting Indigenous Languages For National Development
Adamu Adamu, Education Minister
An indigenous language
is a language that is native to a particular region and spoken by the people of the region.
Concerned linguists, however, observe that many indigenous languages in Nigeria are gradually fading away, as the languages are no longer spoken by the youth.
The language experts stress that the phenomenon is somewhat affecting the socio-cultural development of the country.
They insist that pragmatic efforts should be made to encourage the use of indigenous languages like Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Urhobo and Itsekiri, among others, at homes and in schools.
They particularly underscore the need to promote the codification of these languages and their teaching in schools, so as to guard against their total displacement by English, a foreign language.
Besides, the linguists believe that promotion of indigenous languages will facilitate the fulfilment of national development aspirations, arguing that most developed countries effectively use their indigenous languages to foster national growth.
Corroborating these views, the Dean of Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, Prof. Ayo Akinwale, explained that indigenous science and technology could be better developed if citizens made use of their mother tongues.
“Therefore, the mother tongue must be protected in order to save it from going into extinction,’’ he said.
The don, nonetheless, urged the government and well-to-do individuals in the society to invest in the development and standardisation of indigenous languages.
Similarly, Prof. Bayo Lawal of the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, noted that indigenous science and technology could not be developed in the country due to the absolute focus on the use of the English Language.
He emphasised that effective usage of indigenous languages was a viable only tool for national development.
In the same vein, Head of English Department, University of Lagos, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezigbo, said that indigenous African languages were being supplanted by foreign languages across the continent.
According to her, indigenous languages have been labelled as “vernacular’’ or “garbage’’ and as such, most African children and youths in primary and secondary schools are even punished for speaking their mother tongues.
“Students who speak foreign languages in schools are respected, while students who speak their indigenous languages are looked down upon or called ‘local’.
“The trading of Africa’s indigenous languages has led to today’s children feeling ashamed of speaking their mother tongue.
“Indigenous languages are slowly dying simply because we, Africans, believe that foreign languages are superior to our local languages,” she added.
Adimora-Ezigbo noted that English was considered a language of prestige and “if you could not speak grammatically correct English, then you are considered to be primitive.
“We need reorientation of our minds in order to take pride in our languages and preserve them.
“Many African elites have encouraged their children to forsake their mother tongues and embrace foreign languages because they feel it proves that they are civilised people,” she added.
Nevertheless, Adimora-Ezigbo said: “It is the responsibility of parents to ensure the survival of indigenous languages by ensuring that they communicate and relate with their children solely in their mother tongues.
“It is ideal for a person to master his or her language through books and interaction before going through multimedia platforms,” she said.
The professor also stressed the need for the government and families to promote the speaking of mother tongues at home.
She said that Africa had between 1,500 and 2,000 indigenous languages, making her the most linguistically diverse continent in the world.
Adimora-Ezigbo, however, noted that up to 300 of these African languages had less than 10,000 speakers, while more than 37 of the languages faced the risks of extinction.
Sharing similar sentiments, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, recently expressed concern at the sharp decline in the number of Nigerian youths who were able to read or write in their mother tongues.
Anwukah warned that Nigeria’s indigenous languages could eventually go into extinction because of the decline in their usage by the youth.
“Our youths, especially those living in the urban centres, hardly communicate in their mother tongues.
“I believe that the best way to give our children good knowledge of history, values and tradition is to ensure that they are able to read and write in their own local languages.
“ Language is the most potent instrument for preserving and developing a people’s cultural heritage,” the minister said.
Consequently, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Mrs Dayo Keshi, called on Nigerian parents and schools to encourage the speaking of mother tongues by the children.
She made the call in Abuja during the celebration of International Mother Language Day on Feb. 21.
The Day, which was proclaimed by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and recognised by the UN General Assembly, aims at promoting the preservation and protection of all the languages used by the peoples of the world.
Keshi moaned that Nigerian parents did not communicate with their children in their local languages, while English Language was the only language of instruction in most schools.
“In China, for instance, they use the mother tongue to teach students in school.
“If children are not taught how to speak their local languages; it may be very difficult for them to cope when they grow older,’’ she said.
According to her, when children are deprived of learning how to speak their mother tongues, they would not be balanced intellectually.
“Parents and schools should keep the expression of mother tongue alive because it gives the children a sense of belonging and it enables them to identify with their roots,’’ Keshi said.
All the same, the President of African Arts and Cultural Heritage Association, Mr Kanayo Chukwuemezi, underscored the need for the government to formulate a policy that would make studies of any of the indigenous languages compulsory in primary and secondary schools.
“Most of our youths today cannot speak their mother tongue; the only language theY know how to speak is English and that is not good for the future of our national identity.
“A policy on the use of the mother tongue in schools will encourage our youths to speak the mother tongues,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director of Goge Africa Ltd., Mrs Nneka Moses, affirmed that a policy on studies and use of mother tongues would aid efforts to foster national development.
Moses said that Nigeria’s indigenous languages were noticeably going into extinction due to the apathy of most citizens towards communicating in such languages.
She grumbled that undue “Westernisation’’ had eroded indigenous cultural values in the country, as most citizens now wanted to behave like foreigners, thereby jettisoning their cultural heritage.
“The youth prefer to speak foreign languages and dress like foreigners. This is not good for our culture.
“Nigerians, those at home and in foreign countries, should be proud of our culture,’’ she said, adding that culture could also help to preserve the nation’s unity.
Moses particularly urged parents to play major roles in ensuring that their children were kept abreast of their indigenous cultures.
“Culture goes along with language because language plays a vital role in the promotion, preservation and propagation of culture,’’ she said.
Moses, however, described language as a tool for the transmission of the nation’s cultural heritage.
All in all, cultural anthropologists affirm that the mother tongue is one of the attributes that distinguish a particular group of people from others.
They underscore the need to make concrete efforts to encourage and sustain the use of indigenous languages in all societies.
The experts, therefore, urge the government to inaugurate policies and programmes that will promote the use of mother tongue by the children.
Nwachukwu writes for the News Agency of Nigeria.
Jacinta Nwachukwu
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku