A Looming Crisis for Igala and Other Endangered Languages
The Igala language, once a vibrant tongue of identity, heritage, and culture, is now staring at a slow but certain death. For years, the hegemony of English in Nigeria has eroded the place of native languages in the scheme of things, leaving many speakers in fear of extinction.
It is, however, gratifying to note that a new government policy, introduced in December 2022, seems to offer a lifeline: English was dethroned as the primary medium of instruction in Nigerian primary schools, giving local languages a long-awaited front seat.
But is Igala truly ready to seize this moment?
WARNING SIGNS: IGALA IS ENDANGERED
A language dies when:
- Its speakers abandon it for another.
- Parents fail to pass it on to their children.
- It disappears from formal and informal communication.
- It lacks proper documentation and standardization.
- Economic and social realities push speakers towards dominant languages.
Igala meets nearly all these extinction criteria, as:
- Many young Igala people raised outside Igalaland cannot speak the language.
- Educated parents prioritize English or Pidgin speaking at home, instead of their ancestral
- language.
- Reading and writing in Igala remain rare, as there is no formalized pedagogical structure.
- The language is fading from daily communication, riddled with errors an inconsistencies.
- Igala lacks standard teaching materials, textbooks, and reference guides.
THE HARSH REALITY: A POLICY WITHOUT PREPAREDNESS
The government’s policy may be well-intentioned, but the groundwork is an uphill task. If Igala is to become a medium of instruction in primary schools as directed, critical questions must be answered:
- Where are the Igala textbooks, reference books, teaching and learning aids?
- Is there a structured curriculum to teach Igala effectively?
- Are Igala linguists and educators aware of the intricacies of the challenge?
- Are they unified on spelling, grammar, and phonetics to ensure standardization?
THE URGENT CALL TO ACTION
If we fail to act NOW, Igala may not survive another generation. We must:
- Organize a high-level conference/workshop on Igala language revitalization.
- Develop a standardized curriculum, textbooks, and digital learning aids.
- Train qualified teachers to teach Igala in schools.
- Launch community-driven campaigns to restore Igala in homes and public spaces through Adult Education programmes.
This is not just about language—it’s about identity, culture and survival. If nothing is done, future generations of Igala people may only read about their language in history books.