Research Article

PERCEPTION OF NIGERIANS ON FEASIBILITY OF USING ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY AND INTEGRATION IN HETEROLINGUAL AND MULTICULTURAL NIGERIA

CLIFFORD IRIKEFE GBEYONRON1*
1 Department of English, Yobe State University, Damaturu.
* Corresponding author: erykh01@yahoo.com
Published: Jan, 2022
DOI: 10.67862/hjjgs.2022.cnr0y1qk
Pages: 121-127

Abstract

The objective of this study is to establish the perception of Nigerians on the feasibility of adopting a non-native language as a tool for enhancing national identity and integration in Nigeria. Nigeria is not only heterolingual but also characterized by a complex system that depicts divergent cultures among the members of the different enthnolinguistic groups. This thus necessitates integration that would foster unity. In addition, the issue of national identity is one of the burdens of Nigerians living in Africa and by extension in the diaspora. In order to achieve the primary objective of this study, a researcher-made questionnaire was developed and administered to some five hundred (500) literate Nigerians between September 2015 and September 2016 in all the six geo-political zones of the country. In addition, covert observation was conducted in fifty (50) towns and villages in Nigeria within the same period by the researcher. The major finding of this study reveals that even though majority of the respondents agree that English can be used as a medium for enhancing communicative unity among speakers of different languages in Nigeria, an overwhelming majority of them did not agree that English can be used as a symbol of national identity in Nigeria. Conversely, considering the way English is spreading in the country, as revealed by the results of the observation, this study argues that English can serve as a veritable tool of integration and by extension national identity in Nigeria without necessarily having any negative incursion on native cultural identity. This can be achieved without necessarily affecting the 'Africanness' of Nigerians living in Africa

Keywords

Non-native language national identity heterolingual

References

  1. Abdullahi, M. (2009). Culture. In Salisu A. Abdullahi, Isma'ila Z. Mohammed &Conerly Casey (Eds.) Studies in cultural sociology. 22-31. Ibadan: Foludex Printers.
  2. Achebe, C. (2012). There was a country: A personal history of Biafra. London: Penguin.
  3. Akande, A. T.& Salami, L. O. (2010). Use and attitude towards Nigerian Pidgin English among Nigerian university students. In Robert McColl Millar (Ed.). Marginal dialects: Scotland, Ireland and beyond. Aberdeen: Forum for Research on the Language of Scotland and Ireland.
  4. Araromi, M. (2009). The teaching of French in Nigeria: Historical panorama, pedagogical consideration and motivational strategies. University of Ibadan inaugural lecture delivered on 5th February. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
  5. Ayodi, N. K. 2013). The role of Kiswahili as a lingua franca in Sub-Sahara Africa. In Hamish McIlwraith (Ed.). Language rich Africa: Policy dialogue. (pp. 88-91). London: British Council.
  6. Banjo, A. (2012). The deteriorating use of English in Nigeria. First University of Ibadan English language clinic lectured delivered on $23^{\pi d}$ April. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
  7. Batibo, H. M. (2007). Language use optimisation as a strategy for national development. In Hywell Coleman (Ed.). Language and development: Africa and beyond. (12-20). London: British Council.
  8. Chambers, R. (2007). Word, power and the personal in development. In Hywell Coleman (Ed.). Language and development: Africa and beyond. (119-129). London: British Council.
  9. Christophersen, P. (1948). Bilingualism. University of Ibadan foundation day inaugural lecture delivered on $17^{th}$ November. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd.
  10. Coleman, H. (2007). Language and the silent observers of development. In Hywell Coleman (Ed.). Language and development: Africa and beyond. (1-10). London: British Council.
  11. Coleman, H. (2010). The English language in development. London: British Council.
  12. Coleman, H. (2010). The English language in Francophone Africa. London: British Council.
  13. Davies, P. and Pearse, E. (2002). Success in English teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  14. Erling, E. J., Seargeant, P., Solly, M., Chowdury, H. & Rahman, S. (2012). Attitudes to English as a language for international development in Bangladesh. London: British Council.
  15. Grenoble, L. A. & Whaley, L. J. (2006). Saving languages: An introduction to language revitalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  16. Iwara, A. U. (2008). The linguistic situation in Nigeria and its implications for sustainable development: Da mihi locum stare et terram movebo. University of Ibadan lecture delivered on $16^{th}$ October. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
  17. Izevbaye, D. (2012). Untold stories: Things fall apart at the turn of the century. In Chima Anyadike & Kehinde Ayoola (Eds.). Blazing the path: Fifty years of 'things fall apart'. (pp. 5984). Ibadan: HEBN Plc.
  18. Jowitt, D. (2008). Varieties of English: The world and Nigeria. The University of Jos inaugural lecture series 36 presented on $28^{th}$ March. University of Jos Press.
  19. Kolawole, C. O. O. (2016). Language, education and the curriculum nexus: Pathway to achieving sustainable development in Nigeria. University of Ibadan inaugural lecture delivered on 14th April. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
  20. Le Page, R. B. (1964). The national language question: Linguistic problems of newly independent states. London: Oxford University Press.
  21. Mazrui, A. A. (2005). The re-invention of Africa: Edward Said, V. Y. Mudimbe and beyond. Research in African Literatures, Vol. 3(3). 68-82.
  22. Mustapha, A. (2010). A Sociolinguistic Answer To Nigeria's National Language Question. Ife Studies in English Language 8(1) September, 2010. 61 - 75.
  23. National Population Commission (2017). Nigeria's population is now 182 million - NPC. Retrieved on 7/21/2017 from
  24. Ndhlovu (2008). Language and African Development: Theoretical Reflections on the Place of Languages in African Studies Nordic Journal of African Studies 17(2). 137-15.
  25. Negash, N. (2011). English language in Africa: An impediment or contributor to development? In Hywell Coleman (Ed.). Dreams and realities: Developing countries and the English language. (161-183). London: British Council.
  26. Ofulue, C. J. (2008). Teaching and learning (language) at a distance in a multilingual context: Issues and challenges. Retrieved from www.wikieducator. org/images/d/df/pid_456.pdf on 19/1/2009.
  27. Okoh, N. (2016). Multilingualism and the challenges of national development. Keynote address delivered at the $9^{th}$ National Conference of the English Language Teachers Association of Nigeria held at the University of Port Harcourt, August 29 to September 1.
  28. Oyeleye, L. O. (2015). 'In my father's house': Globalisation, linguistic pluralism and the English language in Nigeria. University of Ibadan inaugural lecture delivered on $25^{th}$ February. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
  29. Oyetade, S. O. (2015). Language in national development: An exploration into sociolinguistics as a field of inquiry. University of Ibadan inaugural lecture delivered on $23^{rd}$ April. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
  30. Plonski, P., Teferra, A. & Brady, R. (2013). Why Are More African Countries Adopting English as an Official Language? Paper Presented at African Studies Association Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland on November 23, 2013.
  31. Pugh, R. (1996). Effective language in health and social work. London: Chapman and Hall.
  32. Taiwo, R. (2012). Language and mobile telecommunication in Nigeria: SMS as a digital lingual-cultural expression. Ile-Ife: Obafemi Awolowo University Press.
  33. Tajfel, H. (1978). The achievement of group differentiation. In Henri Tajfel (Ed.). Differentiation between social groups. (pp. 77-98). London: Academic Press.
  34. Uguru, J. O. (2008). A common Nigerian language: A prerequisite for national identity and development (Revised Edition). Nsukka: University of Nigeria Press Ltd.
  35. Whitehead, D. (2011). English language teaching in fragile states: Justifying action, promoting success and combating hegemony. In Hywell Coleman (Ed.). Dreams and realities: Developing countries and the English language. (327-363). London: British Council.
How to Cite

GBEYONRON, C. I. (2022). PERCEPTION OF NIGERIANS ON FEASIBILITY OF USING ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY AND INTEGRATION IN HETEROLINGUAL AND MULTICULTURAL NIGERIA. Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, 13(1), 121-127. https://doi.org/10.67862/hjjgs.2022.cnr0y1qk

C. I. GBEYONRON, "PERCEPTION OF NIGERIANS ON FEASIBILITY OF USING ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY AND INTEGRATION IN HETEROLINGUAL AND MULTICULTURAL NIGERIA," Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 121-127, January 2022. doi: 10.67862/hjjgs.2022.cnr0y1qk

Share this article:
Facebook X / Twitter LinkedIn
Download PDF View Full Text (PDF) Back to Articles