Reviewing the Place of the English Language as Nigeria’s National Language

Abstract

The study focuses on the influence of English language in Nigeria being a multilingual country. English in Nigeria is seen by many as a British colonial legacy that could never express the thoughts, culture and identity of the Nigerian people therefore, the need to replace it with an indigenous language. English in Nigeria has assumed the status of a second language and as the official language. It functions both as an internal and international means of communication and it is the tool and medium of communication between different, diverse people and ethnic groups. It is so important in the national life of Nigeria since it is the language of administration, education, media, law, literature, etc. It is so pervasive to the extent of endangering indigenous languages in Nigeria. However, the 2022 National Language Policy stipulates the official status of the English Language as the national language, since choosing from any of the indigenous languages might not be the best for now. The policy at the same time declares the equal status of both foreign and indigenous languages thereby defining that all languages can be used for education, judiciary, media, entertainment etc. This paper endorses the position of the new National Language Policy and argues that to maintain a peaceful coexistence between ethnic groups for national development, provisions advanced for English and other indigenous languages should be maintained.