Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using complex forms of verbal communications and expressions. It is beyond the “mere” use of structured words or linguistics, as it can also be a form of identity for an individual or a population; in fact, it is a smorgasbord of a people’s beliefs, cultural activities and peculiarities. Better still, it can be described as “glue” that binds people to their culture. 

In Nigeria, people are typically identified by their Languages or Mother Tongues (MT) technically referred to as L1 in this article. Before inter-tribal marriages L1 was the language of both parents and also of the child’s environment. Later on, the scope of L1 was broadened to mean the first language that a child learns, be it that of the father, the mother (if her MT is a different language), or the child’s immediate environment. Nowadays, L1 in urban and suburban areas is English Language and the people in the rural areas are fast adopting this trend too. 

Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using complex forms of verbal communications and expressions. It is beyond the “mere” use of structured words or linguistics, as it can also be a form of identity for an individual or a population; in fact, it is a smorgasbord of a people’s beliefs, cultural activities and peculiarities. Better still, it can be described as “glue” that binds people to their culture. 

In Nigeria, people are typically identified by their Languages or Mother Tongues (MT) technically referred to as L1 in this article. Before inter-tribal marriages L1 was the language of both parents and also of the child’s environment. Later on, the scope of L1 was broadened to mean the first language that a child learns, be it that of the father, the mother (if her MT is a different language), or the child’s immediate environment. Nowadays, L1 in urban and suburban areas is English Language and the people in the rural areas are fast adopting this trend too. The error in this is that children who start with English Language as their L1 feel there is no need to learn an indigenous language since they have mastered their Lingua Franca. If they try to learn any other, they opt for another foreign language. Parents of such children are beguiled by the fallacy, which contends that; Children who adopt English Language as their MT (L1) end up being exceedingly proficient in the language and intelligent. They believe that the child would grasp concepts taught in school easily, however to what extent does this fallacious notion hold water? Studies have shown that even students who start off with English Language as L1 do score F9 in their SSCE English Language examination, while those who started off with an indigenous L1 could score As. The key questions remains, how were they able to make it? They certainly don’t have two heads; they simply have one that can contain two or more languages. Contrary to what many people think, there is a high tendency for a child to learn two or more languages simultaneously even though they may code-mix or code-switch at some periods, but it is all part of the learning process.

Ask yourself, if all children were to adopt English Language as their MT, what would become of our cherished indigenous Plateau languages? If we allow them to die, then they will die along with a large portion of our culture, oral history, folklore, and our identities too. Our “modern” Plateau people refuse to teach their children indigenous languages and even prohibit them from speaking some major Nigerian languages. As mentioned earlier, it is very possible for a child to learn his original MT (Berom, Ngas, Mupun, Goemai, Mwaghavul, Ron, etc), Hausa and even English Language all at the same time; for example, MT at home, Hausa among peers and English Language in School – I suppose that is what English language teachers are paid to do. To say a language is more important than another, is tantamount to saying one race is superior to another. Languages should be treated equally, just as Humans ought to be treated equally. Language is also God’s gift to man. It is better for us to encourage our children to learn all three or more languages and aim towards perfecting them. A Fulani man would speak Fulani, Hausa and your Neglected MT (e.g Mwaghavul) fluently and tomorrow you wake up with the Indigene/Settler dichotomy. How do you expect them not to claim your lands as well?

I have also keenly observed that people who speak English Language, especially in Plateau State, with MT accents are being mocked and jeered. Frankly, I think such kind of people should rather be applauded for superimposing their MT accent on English language. Meaning that, they unconsciously uphold their language against Hausa or English language. Many Languages have already been completely encroached by Hausa Language, particularly in Kanam and Wase LGCs. People from these areas do, sometimes, find it hard to convince indigenes that they are also indigenes of Plateau state. It may become worse in the future for some of us in plateau State who may not be able to claim even the Hausa Language because they can only speak English Language, their names are in English and they have lost contact with their villages and ancestry in the Plateau.
It is high time we emphasized our indigenous languages and possibly standardize and document them in order to secure the future of our children and our children’s children. There is Unity in diversity if only we understand that a chain is as strong as its weakest link. It is not too late, we can retrace our steps and have a complete attitudinal change which will in turn foster peace and unity among us as Plateau people and as a nation at large.

by Bizum Yadok (Bizum is a political commentator who writes for ViewPointNigeria from Jos, Plateau State).

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Our attitude and the fate of Plateau’s indigenous Languages by Bizum Yadok