INDIGENOUS NIGERIAN LANGUAGES AND SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE TIV EXAMPLE
Main Article Content
Abstract
This research faults the negligence of Nigerian indigenous languages as depriving Nigerian learners the right to functional type of education that could attract development to them. To demonstrate the resourcefulness of the languages in development, the work studies the contributions of Nigerian indigenous languages, especially Tiv language, to sustainable national development through evaluation of Tiv utterances that are poised to developing traits which can facilitate national development in a sustained manner. Such traits include: value attachment, resource management, unity of purpose, hard-work and good governance. To achieve this purpose, the study explores specific Tiv expressions, including proverbs, wise sayings, and adages that encourage the development of the traits mentioned above as being key to national development. Such expressions are collected from all the five major components of Tiv society through interactive sessions with elderly speakers of the language, after which, the researchers select and translate the relevant ones, as well as analyse them in relation to how they contribute to national development. The study finds out that national development is not a reserve of the social sciences to investigate, but an area that is well considered in the scope of linguistics, through Nigerian indigenous languages, especially Tiv language in pursuance of its attainment.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Adeiyongo, J. A. (2017). Anzaakaa: A reflection of Tiv socio-cultural norms and worldview. In Language, culture and political economy: Issues, challenges and prospects (pp. 1–41). Katsina-Ala: Gold Ink Company.
Akaan, S. S. (2014, April). The Tiv people in a historical perspective of migration. Paper presented at the 3rd Annual National Conference of the School of Languages, College of Education, Oju.
Akume, G. T. (2022). The scourge of insecurity, value erosion and under-development in Nigeria: Functional education as remedy. Inland Journal of Educational Studies, 3(1), 1–7.
Chollom, G. A., & Ada, N. A. (2018). Issues of quality science education for sustainable national development in the 21st century Nigeria. Issues of Quality Education in Nigeria, 2, 2–11.
Chukwu, A. O. (2013). Language communication and integration: The Nigerian experience. Journal of Languages, 6, 181–191.
Ejembi, O. D. (2015). Problems of translation from mother tongue to English: The Idoma example. Oju Journal of Languages, 2(1), 48–64.
Gande, S. (2015). Death and its explication in Tiv cultural perspective: A study of Adan Wade kohol ga. Oju Journal of Languages, 2(1), 65–76.
Hongor, S. V. (2009). Learning a second language in the primary and secondary education. In Languages, literatures, and the survival of Nigerian peoples (pp. 41–44). Katsina-Ala, Benue State: Koduag Publishers.
Iorshal, Z. N. (2013). Indigenous Nigerian languages and national development. Journal of Languages, 6, 151–166.
Iowakwagh, E. M. (2014, April). The rhetoric of Tiv singers: A study of Faga Adinge. Paper presented at the 3rd Annual National Conference of the School of Languages, College of Education, Oju.
Ochim, J. O., Okpo, J., & Agada, J. O. (2022). Education for sustainable development in Nigeria. Inland Journal of Educational Studies, 3(1), 19–27.
Omenka, J. E. (2022). Managing functional education for security, values re-orientation and sustainable national development. Inland Journal of Educational Studies, 3(1), 8–18.
Rodney, W. (1972). How Europe underdeveloped Africa. Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria: Panaf Publishing, Inc.
Tumbo, B. H. (2019). Federal government intervention in Niger-Delta development and the dilemma of the ideology of development. International Journal of Advancement in Development Studies, 14(1), 125–132.
Yina, G. (2011). Semiotics of Tiv oral poetry. Makurdi, Benue State: Aboki Publishers.