Language as an Instrument of Exclusion and Participation in Nigeria

Abstract

Language, held up as a sign of belonging, becomes a gatekeeper for inclusion/exclusion, regulating access to citizenship and education, health and legal protection. The use of language as a tool of exclusion among the indigenous people of Nigeria has contributed to the decline or extinction of indigenous languages. This article investigates the process of exclusion and describes an investigation on the extent of this phenomenon as it concerns Nigerians and their indigenous languages.  The purpose of the study is to explain Language as a tool on the instrumentalist approach to language; discuss various ways language creates a class of the excluded; describe the English Language as an instrument of exclusion in Nigeria, and explain the attitude of education practitioners and civil servants towards indigenous languages. Qualitative Descriptive method was used. The article made use of the theory of communicative competence propounded by Dell Hymes (1966).  The data for this study was gathered from varied sources including libraries, published research papers, and websites.  In the findings, the colonialists made the mastery of English language a standard for advancement to administrative (white collar) jobs and consequently social elevation. Under this condition, Nigerian indigenous languages and every aspect of life and culture of the people became less fashionable, inferior, retrogressive, and symbolic of poverty. Nigerians, by nature, are very receptive of innovations and embraced the learning of English, the white man’s language and way of life. English language, therefore, became a tool for excluding Nigerian indigenous languages to the extent that some sect in Nigeria detest their own language. Thus, the English language was used as a tool for excluding Nigerians from their heritage and culture as a people. This has resulted in the present state of decline of the indigenous languages in Nigeria.