THE PLACE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF IGBO LANGUAGE

摘要

According to Emenanjo (1996) and Aziza (1998) Nigeria is the most multilingual nation in Africa with about 400-500 indigenous languages which have various status- developed, developing and underdeveloped. It has been recognized that the use of indigenous languages has helped most developed countries of the world to attain desirable development. The efficacy of using the language a learner is comfortable with, a language in which he can express his thoughts and translate his ideas into articulate sentences has been established by many scholars. The training of the mind in the understanding of the world around is best done and realized in the language in which the children are most familiar. Language has been identified as a conduit for transmission of culture, ideas, thoughts etc from generation to generation for its perpetuation. The study explores the topical issue of how indigenous languages (Igbo) can contribute to the national development. The study recognized that 59 years after independence that English, the colonial master’s language is still the language of education, governance, commerce and industry etc in Nigeria and as such has hindered equal participation of the entire citizenry in governance access to information and full involvement in government policies and programmes. In many respects, the acquisition of a foreign language gave many Nigerians the freedom to acquire new status and identities. The implication is the relegation of the indigenous languages to the background. The focus of the study is therefore to explore the extent to which the use and teaching of indigenous languages (Igbo) can bring about revival and vigour in the quest for national development. It mainly argues that development is mediated through local knowledge inculcated through indigenous languages. The study’s main objective is not to lament on the dangers resulting from Nigeria’s linguistic fragmentation or linguistic fascism of the English language but to highlight the positive role indigenous languages can play in national development. This predicates that the sustainability