Abuja: Linguists, cultural experts, and parents have expressed concerns over the gradual erosion of Nigerian indigenous languages as younger generations abandon them for English and Pidgin English. They spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 2026 International Mother Language Day.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the stakeholders noted that it is increasingly common, especially in urban centers, to find children and youths who cannot speak their parents’ native dialects. They lamented that this cultural shift has resulted in young people growing up with limited knowledge of their culture, creating a generational disconnect. They noted that the silent erosion of these languages, if left unchecked, poses a serious danger not only to cultural identity but also to Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and history.
Dr. Immanuel Ugwu, an educationist and culture enthusiast, said the problem could be traced to inadequacies of modern parenting. According to him, a child’s mother tongue is supposed to be the first tool of understanding, shaping early cognition and identity before formal schooling begins. He noted that many modern families prefer to communicate in English and Pidgin English at home, and schools often discourage the use of local languages, branding them as ‘local’ or ‘uncivilised.’
Mr. Adams Yakubu, a linguist and media consultant, identified the ‘Vernacular Stigma’ in schools and elite circles as a critical part of the problem. According to him, the inability to speak local languages is not merely a preference but a survival strategy in a system that rewards English. He said young persons who were not fluent in English but spoke local languages very well were considered ‘local’ or ‘primitive,’ noting that while the development boosts English proficiency, it threatened the survival of indigenous languages.
Mrs. Gloria Oguchi, a parent and businesswoman, said many younger Nigerians were unable to speak their mother tongues because their parents chose to raise them with English in urban environments. According to her, many parents, particularly in urban areas, opt to speak only English to their children, believing that English proficiency guarantees better opportunities.
Miss Adeoye Ebunoluwa, a corps member serving in the FCT, said: ‘I cannot speak my mother tongue, and the first problem was that my parents did not speak to me when I was growing up. It would be encouraging for parents to raise their children with their language because it is always difficult to learn when you are grown.’
Mr. Michael Adejoh, an ICT expert and cultural advocate, said the loss of an age-long indigenous language was more than just the loss of words; it was an extinction of traditional wisdom and folklore. According to him, when a language dies, the unique history of that culture often dies with it, leading to cultural erosion that leaves the younger generation without a sense of identity.
He called on policymakers, parents, and educators to take appropriate actions, adding that without deliberate intervention, several dialects may disappear within a generation. ‘It is important for us to realise that language is not just a medium of communication; it is a vehicle for transmitting cultural values and traditions across generations. So when a language dies, it also carries with it the stories, wisdom, and identities of its speakers, which can never be fully recovered,’ he said.
According to him, for meaningful change to occur, indigenous languages must be elevated beyond cultural symbolism and should be incorporated into technology, business, education, and the media.