"Neo-coloniality and language policies: Nigeria as a paradigm"

Abstract

Following independence, the general trend has been for former colonies to retrace their pre- colonial heritage in repositioning themselves for the challenges of nationhood. Language, as a bearer of a people's culture, and its national policy are usually an early site for debates after independence, especially in multilingual settings. Nigeria's existing national language policy, essentially, allows for the cannibalization of languages of the nation's minority ethnic groups by those of the majority, namely Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Yet this policy has, thus far, neither enhanced the acceptability of these three languages by the minorities nor worked towards the effective replacement of English by indigenous languages, as it has been the trend in most post-colonial societies. Furthermore, many Nigerians have remained skeptical even about the possibility of indigenous languages taking over certain functions from the English language. This paper argues in favour of a language policy that both gives indigenous languages more functions and promotes their equal development, irrespective of the number of native speakers. Relying on insights from sociolinguistic studies and the experiences of other nations that had experienced foreign domination, the paper proffers solutions on the path towards a more acceptable and development-oriented national language policy. It is expected that other multilingual "Third" World countries and former colonies would also find the suggestions useful.