Introduction the Term Lingua Franca Posits a Language Of

The Melting Pot; Journal of The School of General And Basic Studies, 4(1):47-54

AKANU IBIAM FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC LINGUA FRANCA AS A TOOL FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

U N W A N A Olughu Oko Okpoh

SKILL FOR TECHNOLOGICAL FREEDOM ABSTRACT The Nigerian language dilemma is an incontrovertible fact. The multi-lingual nature of the country made the use of English language a linguistic necessity in order to mitigate the problem of mutual intelligibility and acceptability of the more than four hundred (400) ethnic indigenous or vernacular languages across the nation. To compound this problem further, lack of basic unity in the Nigerian system has introduced parochial patriotism immediately after colonialism and independence making the Nigerian language ecology a “narrow Path” full of thorns, which we thread and grope in to in tears, in order to evolve a lingua franca – a national language born out of the multiplicity of indigenous or native languages across Nigeria. Both previous and recent research in language engineering glaringly approve a Lingua Franca, a common national language as the fastest means to develop a technological know-how which will obviously lead to national cohesion and unity. This view was aptly captured in the national policy on education formulated in 1977 with a clause that allows “mother tongue” to be used as a medium of instruction in Nigerian public schools. Though this policy was later reversed, successive Nigerian regimes never had the inertia to achieve this lofty goal. Today the realization of this goal is inevitable, considering the hatred, acrimony, corruption and tribalism inherent in our present social superstructure, which only a national language resolve. Keywords: Language Lingua Franca, National Development

Introduction users of these dialects know that they are The term Lingua Franca posits a language of specifically Igbos. In political circles this has communication by a group or groups of been confused with the aggressive search for persons who do not speak the same native identity- a term which has been submerged in language. It can be rightly defined as a tribal hostility. Nigeria is not the only country language which is indigenous to and in Africa or the world that is going through a commonly used by the entire population of a language “Tower of Babel” problem. But it is country. In other words it is the dominant or certainly one of the few countries in the world only language of the country. that has not made a serious attempt to implement a National language policy for In Nigeria the term “native” is often times Nigeria no matter the challenges. misunderstood and misapplied. At one time it could mean people who speak along one India just after her independence in 1947 dialect group and at other times it could mean a discovered that the road towards the adoption people who speak a parent language from of a national language could become a where dialects may have broken off. Victor Herculean task in a great republic Manfredi in Agbor and Ehugbo posited that the accommodating one third of the world's dialect “Ehugbo” of the Afikpo Igbo of Eastern population. This great republic decided that Nigeria is the centre of Igbo Linguistic “Hindi” should become the sole official consciousness. Thus “Ehugbo” Afikpo Igbo language of the Indians, supposed to come in dialect is something like the Latin of Igbo to effect in January 1965. “Hindi” as a language. An Igbo from say Unwana section of language is spoken by about 180,000,000 Afikpo, consider himself or herself a native of Indians in a country of Unwana, not Afikpo, even though the slight more than 400million people. This shows that variation and deviation in both the Ehugbo and in a multi tribal and multi-lingual nation of Unwana dialects of Igbo language poses no which Nigeria is one, the solution to this kind communication problem; since both are of problem can seldom be easy. As may be understood by users of this dialects.. Both 47 Olughu 2018 rightly anticipated part of the problem was choice of an indigenous language as a lingua political. In south India lived a people called Franca”. Page 16 of that magazine featured the “Davidians” of the original Indian races another article “Tongues in a twist; which x- before the Aryan invasion of Northern India. rayed “languages as hurdles and how others They stoutly opposed “Hindi” clamouring for cleared them”. First, to even suggest means of a separate state with “Tamil” (one of their clearing the hurdles, we must identify exactly own languages) as the official language. In where the problem lies. These problems may their argument Dravidistan State or Davidian be viewed from four major factors. The language are quite unique and superior to cultural factor, the political factor, the “Hindi” and has preserved the Indian- Hindu linguistic factor and the religious factor. culture during about 1000 years of Muslim The Cultural Factor rule. Nigeria's troubles lie in its past. Its history is a Back home in Africa, Tanzania has toed the litany of complexity captured in Mackey's line of Indian experience and example. One observation in his preface to Brann C.M.B. major problem that beset the Nigerian Comparative Bibliograghy which state that: political landscape is “political naivety, lack of the will to implement visions that will The making of modern manifest in to a common goal. The argument Nigeria is one of the greatest for a national language or lingua Franca is not problems in state building of a new thing in Nigeria. It was debated in any area in the world today. A Nigeria's constituent Assembly Abuja on state of such ethnic and December 14th 1988 and Nigeria tilted religious diversity containing towards “WAZOBIA” an adoption of the dozens of ancient cultures and three major ethnic languages: “Hausa”, hundreds of living languages “Yoruba”, “Igbo” as a possible lingua Franca is indeed more difficult to for Nigeria. Then in 1977 the federal centralize than was any nation government of Nigeria promulgated the of Europe. Here we have National policy on Education with the use of representatives of all known the mother tongue in Nigeria's educational African language families, as system as its major keynote, though the well as a meeting place of the policy revised in 1988 did allow the use of three cultures that are other Nigeria language for national unity. As fashioning Modern Africa- usual the policy was never implemented; traditional, Islamic and making it a mere paper proclamation even as Christian. In no other country some developing countries succeeded in this is the confluence of these experiment as cited in Emenanjo (1990, three streams more striking p.64): the Philippines Ramos et al. (1967), than it is in the Nigerian Mexico Modiano, (1968) Canada, Lambert linguistic and social situation and Tucker, (1972) and party in Nigeria, the w h e r e t h e w e a l t h o f life project, Afolayan (1976) indigenous languages, several of them with a millenary To further buttress the need for a National tradition of oral and written language, the Newswatch Magazine of literature encounters the March 20 1989, in an article “what tongue for Arabic Islamic tradition from 250” noted that “for nearly 29 years after the North and the European independence Nigeria still grapples with the Christianity from the South.

48 The Melting Pot; Journal of The School of General And Basic Studies, 4(1):47-54

This is a thorough grasp of the Nigerian held any serious political position for a long cultural landscape which culminated in the time like the Hausa but in any case the Yoruba amalgamation process of 1914, which some is better off than the Igbos. Yoruba is always political and erstwhile Nigerian statesmen blamed for an acclaimed cultural imperialism call a mistake. Greater conflict has been born with a language that is meant to be the leading in this aspect in which the Muslim-Arab comprador faction of the ruling class”. In the league makes war to outwit the Christians. A case of the Igbos, there is complete blackout as lingua Franca then will have to play their role in the civil war and fear of that something like a re conciliatory role serving enchanted “Igbo domination hunts Nigeria like as a bridge between the two extremes to the Ghost of Caesar. The Igbo language will Islamic and Christian culture, alongside not qualify. The minority language s do infact traditionalism which is neither Muslim nor stand a chance as none has generated any Euro centric Christian. Any language chosen hatred, disagreement or rancor against any must have been adequately used as a linkup section of Nigeria. To buttress the relevance of between the Muslims and Christians and a lingua franca further, either for Nigeria or for those fundamental traditionalists who are the whole of Africa, Professor Wole Soyinka, a neither here nor there. At present there is no member of Union of writers of the African such language that would qualify to meet this peoples called for the adoption of Swahili as a great need. Not even the oftentimes proposed lingua franca for the African continent. His “WAZOBIA” Assumed superiority in the reason was based on the premise that Swahili cultural aspect of each of this two camps has has a wide geographical spread and is spoken meandered in to the political factor and of in East Africa, Zaire and parts of central Africa. course colours the linguistic factor. It is alleged that this Language is neutral and The Political Factor: does not belong to any ethnic group in For any language to qualify as Nigeria's particular. lingua Franca, that language should be Sometimes in the past Mr. Alex Igbineweka of politically neutral. This statement may appear the N.T.A (Nigerian Television Authority) to be a hallucination, for in reality no equally saw the need for a lingua franca and language will be absolutely politically pioneered a proposed language called GUOSA neutral. The determinant factor then will be a akin to WAZOBIA comprising vocabulary thorough evaluation of the political history of items from many Nigerian languages. His Nigeria in which case one of the three major proposed list featured eight Nigerian ethnic languages WAZOBIA would hit the languages. Examples of GUOSA expression mark, but parochial patriotism and tribal quoted in Ndubuisi (1998) includes: sentiment may destroy this bid. In Nigeria's Nagode pupo “Thank you political history, the Hausa in the North have very much” (Which is a been “born to rule” its intent to usurp power to combination of Hausa and suite its selfish machinations, its cunning Yoruba). attempt to Islamize Nigeria and its failure to hold Nigeria together politically is one sad Hutu owa na ukiti ombo. odd against the adoption of Hausa language “There is a holiday next as Nigeria's lingua Franca. The North has m o n t h ” ( W h i c h i s a been in power in Nigeria more than any ethnic combination of Hausa, group in the country. Yoruba, Edo and Igbo) The Yoruba alongside the Igbos have not Igbineweka's 52 page GUOSA Dictionaries of 1987 were distributed to constituent 49 Olughu 2018 assembly members on a promise of a second people's culture, and that culture should volume which will comprise 3000 head lead to unity and national development. words. His work met with sharp and stern As there are many languages in Nigeria criticism as Elugbe writing in the Newswatch and of course much quarrel on which Magazine of March, 20 1989 noted that would become Nigeria's lingua Franca, Igbineweka is not a complete dictionary of the the burden then lies on Nigerian leaders language he proposed since he constantly has to come up with a definite language to toil away at expressing a new idea in policy. A thorough grasp of Westermann GUOSA. In the same vein, Joseph Ushie, a and Bryan (1970) linguistic properties lecturer of the language and study skills centre reveals one striking phenomenon- that University of Cross River State, Uyo aptly any Nigeria language that would become recommended “Afrike - a minority language a lingua Franca should be capable of being spoken by a few hundreds of people in Ogoja taught and learned and should have been Cross River State as a lingua franca. Joseph extensively published. To this end any of Ushie in his view thinks that “Afrike” is quite the Niger Congo – the “Kwa” family harmless. languages may meet this linguistic So to chose a National language, a lingua demand; and will have to b e accepted on Franca, we must look at those things that the basis of love, right relationship and would unite us, rather than those things that common national goal and identity. This would tend to divide us. This view was aptly is because within Nigeria and by its captured by the former head of state of Nigeria membership in to the Niger- Congo, the Olusegun Obasanjo, when he as head of Kwa family languages are related to government inserted “Hausa” “Igbo” and Yoruba, Igbo Efik, Edo Kambari and Tiv “Yoruba” into the 1979 constitution as than to Hausa. Antagonism in Nigeria is or national languages in order to enhance was not instituted by language or national unity and cohesion. Amayo (1983. Linguistic diversity. It is the result of a 11) quoting Ikara (1981) stated that more recent modern Eurocentric political, Obasanjo's main reason for doing this was to and economic rivalry. avoid the already embarrassing situation The Religious Factor created in Nigerian political development by Religion is the summation of a people's the use of English language goes to culture and its attitude towards existence. substantiate the fact that from Nigerian Religion here may be seen as that divine inner Independence or immediately after it, crave to actualize the purpose of existence, Nigerian leaders were aware of the need for a and that existence is embroiled in a peoples Lingua Franca based on one of our indigenous culture and its language. More wars have been languages fought in the name of religion than in any The Linguistic Factor other course in human history. In Nigeria the These are two points to note in our political landscape is a religious war. The consideration of the linguistic factor. These power hungry North which has held on to the are as follows reins of power since independence is seen as imposing its jihadist Muslim religion on the (a) That language is both divine and rest of the country. The highly decentralized human and its dynamism has to be Igbos would prefer a confederation of smaller cultivated and adequately promoted independent states, each with its religion (b) That language is the repository of a culture and language. They could become the

50 The Melting Pot; Journal of The School of General And Basic Studies, 4(1):47-54 federating units of Nigeria, a loose con- think that development is the process of federation with a weak centre. The Igbo man's improving the living conditions of a people burden in Nigeria is not really which religion within a geographical area; and has to do rules the country, which language or which with the improvement of the quality of life of tribe. The trouble lies in the fact that a certain the people. He stresses further, citing Rodney group in the country is stopping someone or (1972) that development is a phenomenon making it impossible for someone else to inherent in all human societies. For our become the president of Nigeria. The North, convenience, especially with respect to this lucky to have been at the helm of affairs since paper, all other definition of development independence, believes that this is their apply except that it adds the term “National” religious right. This has generated much to its strata, making it a better, and broader resentment against the Hausa, his religion and way of evolving the talents latent in the therefore his language. The more liberal and population of Nigeria through the use of one democratically decentralized Igbos would as language as a lingua Franca. At present no a mark of their right to self determination true national development exists in Nigeria, prefer not to trade his right for a Muslim because English language which we think is language and political domination. The spear heading this development is being inconsistent Yoruba watch on the fringe influenced by Nigerian languages awaiting any opportunity to fall in no matter culminating in the different varieties of the side and the language. The minority English now spoken in Nigeria: Pidgin, languages, because their users are rarely in the Broken, popular Nigeria English (PNE) etc, forefront of Nigeria politics, sit below with an and these varieties do not even meet national alarming hatred and condemnation of the or international intelligibility. ruling class. This hatred of one group against National development is therefore the the other has plagued Nigeria unity to this day. growth of a country to meet political, social The other situations mentioned in this brief cultural, economic and even religious needs; treatise cannot be studied in complete human potential will have to be developed isolation from the religious aspect. The two through education in other to meet this goal. warring camps of religion in Nigeria - This goal cannot be met without a National Islamism and Christianity - are in fact language. The term national language, responsible for the lack of basic unity in the hidden in the title of this paper, is in itself country and in the country's inability to quite ambiguous. In the first place choose a lingua franca based on one of our “National” may mean “Nigerian” and if that indigenous languages. If for instance the is so, then we would be referring to presidential position be rotated amongst the indigenous Nigerian languages, which is constituent zones of the federation, there will actually one of the motif in this paper. be mutual trust and a lingua franca will Secondly we may be referring to the national emerge no matter whose language it is. languages, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba granted National Development status by the 1979 constitution and these Asogba (2001) as quoted in Ndubuisi (1998) languages are national when we consider has captured for us the essence of their geographic spread and the population of development as having economic cultural, their users. A national language in this sense social, religious and political implications becomes a symbol of National integration without giving it a clear cut definition since it and identity. This was Obasanjo's reason for could be understood differently by different inserting the WAZOBIA language into the set of people. Okoroafor et al (2016) rather 1979 constitution. It was short lived though 51 Olughu 2018 for lack of language experts (Bamgbose, Nigerian products native names deriving 1982). from the indigenous languages? There does The need for a national language for national not seem to be anything wrong with that. development has been the concern of major The Solution: world powers down the centuries. Take for Greenberg (1963) classifies the languages in instance the example of former Soviet Union the African continent in to only four. He which gave recognition to the country's 130 termed it “The four major phyla namely: languages. Desheriyev and Mikhalehnko Afroasiatic khoisan, Niger-kordofanian and once stated that there is no official language in Nilo-Saharan. Actually three of these phyla the Soviet Union. There is rather a language languages are duly represented in Nigeria policy that recognizes equality of all the excluding the Khoisan language family. languages, as native languages were used in Greenberg's taxonomy insists to a large extent state institutions, organizations and co- that the other languages in Nigeria belonging operations. This may seem impossible for to different tribes or ethnic grouping revolve Nigeria only because the citizens do not have around these three. That means that there are focused intention in implementing visions of only three languages in Nigeria which have high altruism that will enable them to develop developed regional dialects or varieties across their technological potential through the the country and can unite in a one lingua unifying power of one language which will be franca for the sake of national development. specifically theirs. In the former Soviet Linguists have revealed that people who Union, names are Russian, news broadcast on speak different languages can unite through a either the radio or the television is in the non linguistic “aspect of culture” This could native languages. Thus the ruler is able to be religion agriculture or commerce as reach the ruled at the grassroots. The same reported by Elugbe (1982) who insist that thing is applicable to France, Germany, ethnic groups do notice linguistic similarities Greece, etc. It does not really matter where in their languages and that Yoruba is regional varieties exist, or dialects which have linguistically related to the Igbos. The Hausa/ broken off from parent indigenous languages. Fulani of Northern Nigeria are equally During the last World Cup competition, linguistically related even though these two names of foreign players cannot be tribes are essentially different. I had thought pronounced if you are not properly educated that Hausa is the same as Fulani. The Fulani because they were written in their native speaks a language that belongs to the Niger- languages. Their products and scientific Congo family which is more related to Wolof inventions bear native names; Kawasaki, and serer in Senegal than any language in Samsung, Toyota, Ford etc. Back home to Nigeria. In Nigeria, languages within the Africa children are named Abraham, Niger Congo family are related; Yoruba, Igbo, Nicodemus, Michael, etc. Made in Nigeria Efik, Edo, Kambari, and the Tiv language products bear inscriptions like 'Made in than to Hausa, yet there is a lateral line of Japan, Taiwan, France', etc. There is no oneness running through these languages. emphasis on national pride because the Historically, the Fulani conquered the Hausa uniting power of a common indigenous and assimilated them though not completely, language is lacking and individual native and leaving behind no known linguistic track languages are not even used. During the or ties. Thus, these two tribes become for Nigerian Civil War, Ojukwu's war heroes Nigeria, a role model architect of oneness, invented a mass killer mine called unity and solidarity. The Igbo language is “Ogbunigwe”. So what is wrong in giving

52 The Melting Pot; Journal of The School of General And Basic Studies, 4(1):47-54 related to Efik or Ibibio and across the country, journalists can be encouraged to work we run into one complex web of language in this language, with English only family relationship. Therefore to reconcile the becoming optional according to need. warring faction, the following points are (e) Our industries, investors, scientists, necessary and recommended in order to etc should manufacture products that expedite our effort in finding a lingua Franca should bear this language. The for Nigeria: Chinese, French, Germans etc trade (a) A Presidential commission should be their products in their language. It can set up to screen the languages in be done in Nigeria. Nigeria and come up with a “fair deal” Conclusion on which one qualifies to be Nigeria's lingua Franca. The survey should There are various arguments posited by concentrate on which language has academics, historians and politicians, that a been published more exttensively in lingua Franca will be easier for Nigeria if we enhancing teaching and learning in the go back to the former regional structure of education sector, in the news media, government. This is not true. Nigerian leaders and is quite widely spoken. This is should find enough courage to implement what other countries like India and lofty goals. It is now rather clear that no Tanzania did. country will ever develop without a language or a common language it can really call its (b) This project should be adequately own. Though English language is Nigeria's funded by government, which must official language, it certainly cannot be a recruit language experts: linguists, substitute for a National language that will be historians, etc, to carry out this national born out of our numerous indigenous assignment. languages. This is the task ahead of all future This does not mean the death of other minority Nigeria leaders. Nigeria is technologically languages which should be allowed and backwards because of this lack of a lingua encouraged to flourish along the line. franca – a national language. A technological breakthrough for Nigeria will be dependent (c) The Federal Government should on solving this great language hurdle for as eschew tribal sentiment, and bias and Tai Solarin once admitted in the Newswatch should be honest enough in choosing a Magazine edition of March 1989, that his “common core” language for Nigeria. romance with Hausa as a lingua Franca is The Federal Government should be dedicated now over because it is not realistic and enough to take a stand, and any language suggested that “whatever Nigerian language chosen should not be seen by other ethnic we chose will be psychologically a more groups as a slight on their identity and acceptable language than any foreign citizenship. It should rather be seen as a language”. sacrifice to tread the road to national unity. (d) Any language chosen should be enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria as our lingua Franca, to be used as a medium of instruction in our schools: primary, secondary, university etc. translators, authors, newscaster,

53 Olughu 2018

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