Indigenous Languages: Loosing it?
In many parts of Nigeria, the home once served as the cradle of language and culture. It was within the family setting that children learned their first words, sang their first songs, and listened to the folktales that carried the wisdom of generations. Parents and elders communicated in their native tongues, allowing culture, values, and history to pass naturally from one generation to another. Today, however, this tradition is fading. More and more Nigerian households are choosing to communicate in English rather than their indigenous languages. This growing preference for English within the home has far-reaching implications for identity, culture, and national heritage.
The prominence of English in Nigerian households can be traced to several intertwined factors. One of the most significant is education. English is the official language of instruction in schools across the country, from primary to tertiary levels. Parents who want their children to excel academically often believe that early exposure to English will give them an advantage in school and in professional life. They view the mastery of English as a gateway to global opportunities, well-paying jobs, and upward social mobility. Consequently, English becomes the primary language of communication even in private family interactions, gradually displacing indigenous tongues.
Urbanisation and inter-ethnic marriages have also played a critical role. As people move to cities and interact with others from diverse ethnic backgrounds, English becomes the neutral language of communication. In families where parents come from different linguistic groups, English often becomes the practical choice to ensure everyone is understood. Over time, this convenience solidifies into habit, and the children of such homes grow up identifying more with English than with either parent’s native language. This phenomenon is particularly visible in metropolitan areas such as Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, where linguistic diversity has made English the social norm.
Media and technology further reinforce this pattern. The majority of television programmes, cartoons, movies, and online content consumed by Nigerian children are in English. Social media, too, operates largely in English, and young people increasingly associate the language with modernity and sophistication. Parents, influenced by these same forces, sometimes discourage their children from speaking indigenous languages, believing that it might hinder their English proficiency or make them appear less educated. Over time, English begins to dominate not only public spaces but the most intimate setting of all—the home.
The cost of this linguistic shift goes far beyond communication preferences. When a family abandons its indigenous language, it loses a vital connection to its cultural identity and ancestral memory. Languages are not just sets of words; they are vessels of collective wisdom, philosophy, and history. Each language carries unique expressions, proverbs, and idioms that embody the worldview of the people who speak it. When a language fades, so does the worldview it represents. This means the next generation loses access to traditional knowledge, moral teachings, and cultural values that can only be fully expressed in the native tongue.
The emotional and social consequences are equally profound. Communication between generations suffers when children no longer understand the language spoken by their grandparents. Elders, often less fluent in English, may find it difficult to express their thoughts and emotions fully, leading to a growing sense of disconnection within families. Storytelling, songs, and traditional ceremonies lose their richness when translated into English, and the meanings embedded in local expressions often disappear altogether. As indigenous languages weaken, communities lose an essential thread that once tied them together.
The loss of indigenous languages also undermines Nigeria’s cultural diversity. With over 500 distinct languages, Nigeria is one of the most linguistically rich countries in the world. Yet this richness is rapidly shrinking as smaller languages face extinction. Linguists estimate that many minority languages could disappear within a generation if they are not actively spoken or documented. Such losses are not merely symbolic. Many of these languages contain detailed ecological and medicinal knowledge—information about plants, herbs, and local environments that have sustained communities for centuries. When these languages die, that knowledge often dies with them.
Although the Nigerian government recognises the importance of indigenous languages, policies designed to protect and promote them have not been effectively implemented. The National Policy on Education recommends that early education be delivered in the child’s mother tongue, but this policy rarely takes effect in practice. Schools lack teaching materials in local languages, and many teachers are not trained to teach bilingually. As a result, English continues to dominate classrooms, reinforcing the perception that indigenous languages are of lesser value. Without consistent support, it becomes difficult for parents to justify prioritizing a language that appears to have little practical use outside the home.
The challenge of preserving indigenous languages must therefore be approached from both cultural and practical perspectives. Families have a crucial role to play. Parents can make conscious efforts to speak their native language at home, teach traditional songs and stories, and encourage children to communicate with grandparents and relatives in their local tongue. Even simple habits—such as dedicating specific times of day for local language conversations—can make a difference. When children grow up hearing their indigenous language daily, they begin to associate it with family, belonging, and identity.
The irony of this is that, even parents of little children today and even teenagers do not have a good command of their own indigenous languages. The Millenials, GenZ, all have to go the extra mile to learn and also teach their children the local languages.
Educational reforms are equally essential. Schools can introduce bilingual education programmes that teach both English and local languages, especially in the early years of schooling. Research has shown that children who learn to read and write first in their mother tongue often perform better academically later on. By integrating local languages into the curriculum, schools can promote pride in cultural identity while ensuring academic excellence. Teacher training programs should also include methods for effective bilingual instruction, and local governments should fund the development of textbooks and teaching aids in indigenous languages.
Media and entertainment can also become powerful tools for language preservation. Radio and television stations can air programs in local languages, and digital platforms can be used to create engaging content for younger audiences. Social media influencers and content creators can help make indigenous languages fashionable again by producing skits, songs, and educational videos in those languages. When young people see their peers celebrating and using indigenous languages online, it helps to restore their social prestige.
Technology offers further opportunities. Mobile apps for learning Nigerian languages can make language acquisition more accessible, especially for urban families. Online archives and dictionaries can help document endangered languages before they disappear completely. Universities and linguistic institutes should collaborate with communities to record oral histories, songs, and folklore. Such documentation not only preserves the language but also provides resources for future revitalisation projects.
Policymakers have a responsibility to treat language preservation as part of national development. The government can provide grants and incentives for artists, writers, and filmmakers who produce work in indigenous languages. Festivals, competitions, and cultural events can be organised to celebrate linguistic diversity and encourage public use of local tongues. Beyond symbolic gestures, there should be structural support to ensure that these languages are used in governance, public service announcements, and regional administration. When people see their native languages being used in official settings, they are more likely to value and maintain them.
Ultimately, reversing the decline of indigenous languages in Nigerian households is not just about preserving words—it is about preserving identity, dignity, and continuity. English undoubtedly plays an important role as a unifying and global language, but it should not replace the languages that define who Nigerians are. A balance can and must be achieved. Children can learn English to succeed globally while still being fluent in their mother tongues to remain rooted in their heritage. When both languages coexist harmoniously, individuals gain the advantages of global communication without losing their cultural essence.
Language is the soul of a people. When it disappears, a part of that people’s spirit disappears with it. Nigeria’s linguistic diversity is one of its greatest strengths, a living testament to its complex history and creativity. To lose it would be to lose an irreplaceable part of the nation’s identity. The home, where language is first learned and love is first expressed, remains the most powerful place to begin the work of preservation. If families reclaim their native tongues and pass them to their children with pride, the voices of Nigeria’s ancestors will continue to echo into the future, strong and clear.
