Urgent Call to Preserve Nigeria's Vanishing Mother Tongues

Gabriel Akinlade-Daniel's article addresses the alarming decline of mother tongues in Nigeria, referencing the insights of Chinua Achebe and Babarinsa. Babarinsa, during a lecture at Vale College, Ibadan, in June 2001, argued that children are victims of a "tripartite conspiracy" involving teachers, parents, and priests, which undermines the future of Nigeria.

He emphasized that without proper education in mother tongues, cognitive development is impaired, leading to incomplete learning. The article cites research indicating that 50% of the world's languages are losing speakers, with 95% of languages spoken by only 6% of the population.

Babarinsa warns that if current trends continue, Nigeria could see the complete disappearance of its mother tongues within 50 years. He calls for a national rebirth, urging parents, teachers, and linguists to combat this trend and preserve cultural heritage, as the loss of language equates to the loss of identity and memory.