Professor Chinyere Ohiri Aniche is the President of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria.  In this interview with Kehinde Adio, she  speaks about language and educational development in Nigeria and other issues.  Excepts: What is the Linguistic Association about?
One of the responsibilities of the  association is to  promote the  numerous languages in Nigeria and also to  ensure their sustenance.  According to a  research, there are about 500 languages in Nigeria, but because  of their  past neglect, more than 152  of them  have gone extinction in the country.  This trend cuts  across the country.  For instance, in the North, specifically, in Bauchi, Taraba and Bayelsa states, there are some villages that only two persons are left speaking a language, in some places, they are about 10 people or less. Studies show further that 25 percent, nationwide, of children, ( about 12 million) do not speak their parents’ language.  If  we allow this trend to continue,  even the major languages the in the country such as Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa will be very seriously affected. In about two or three generations, when these children become parents, they will not be able to pass the language to their children.  This is why the association is advocating the promotion of  languages  and their sustenance in the country.  When a language  becomes extinct, so many valuable things go with it,  as we cannot divorce native intelligence, morals, and culture from language. More.

See: Nigerian Tribune

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