English Language Dominance and the Fate of Indigenous Languages in Nigeria

Abstract

The blind glorification of English language by the elites as well as the defective National Policy on Language has conspired to undermine the local languages and rob them of their importance in national development drive. This paper examines the reason(s) for the continued dominance of English language and its widely accepted usage in all spheres of life, including the social media, in Nigeria. It then evaluates the contributions and the levels of involvements of key stakeholders namely the government, the media, the parents and the youths in the marginalisation of indigenous languages. The paper suggests that to break the tenacious grip on the colonial master's language which has made it difficult for the vast majority of the Nigerian population to participate in the overall national development, the stakeholders, most especially the government and the media, need to review their attitude towards the indigenous languages.