Professor Nuhu Yaqub, the former Vice Chancellor of Sokoto State University, has emphasised that incorporating the teaching and learning of local languages at the primary and secondary school levels would foster inclusivity in Nigeria.
He suggested that in Kogi State, learning local languages could allow an Egbira child to speak Igala and an Okun child to speak Egbira, promoting inter-ethnic communication.
Yaqub, also a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, made this statement during a public lecture titled “Salvaging Egbira Values and Language from Extinction: What Must Be Done,” organised by De Noble Club 10, Kogi Central, in Okene, Kogi State. He urged the Kogi State government to include the study of various ethnic languages in the school curriculum to prevent the extinction of local dialects.
Remarks From Some Officials
Yaqub also highlighted that such language programs could help preserve cultural values and promote ethnic unity. Earlier, the President of De Noble Club 10 Kogi Central, Leramoh Abdulrazaq Onivehu, explained that the lecture was motivated by concerns that the Ebira language was gradually fading among its speakers.
He lamented that many parents now prioritise English over their native language when speaking to their children and warned that without intervention, Ebira’s children might grow up unable to speak their mother tongue. Onivehu called for the Kogi State government to implement the federal policy that recommends teaching children in their native language at the basic education level, specifically within Ebiraland.
The Chairman of the event, Alhaji Isah Ozi-Salami, praised the club for organising the lecture and choosing the topic, stating that now is the perfect time to raise awareness about the decline of the Ebira language. He encouraged parents to speak the Ebira language with their children to ensure they maintain a connection with their heritage.
Engr. Shuaibu Salami, the founding president of the club, shared the club’s history, noting that in 1976, ten young students aged 20 to 27 formed Club 10 Okengwe as a platform for peace, unity, socialisation, and information sharing.
He emphasised that the club has invested heavily in sensitisation programs addressing issues affecting Kogi Central and the entire state and provides annual scholarships to underprivileged students.
