NIGERIAN PIDGIN AS A NATIONAL LANGUAGE AND BEDROCK OF ... · not have to go to school to learn it...

NIGERIAN PIDGIN AS A NATIONAL LANGUAGE AND

BEDROCK OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OFOEGBU CYRIL OKECHUKWU

[email protected]

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH,

ANAMBRA STATE UNIVERSITY,

IGBARIAM CAMPUS, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA.

mailto:[email protected]

Abstract

Nigeria is a multilingual and a multicultural speech community and as such, the

need for a national language should be emphasized so as to foster peace and

unity and above all, enhance national development. Nigeria has searched for a

national language for so long, a language that would unite Nigerians. All the

indigenous languages in Nigeria have been ruled out as possible solution to this

problem because of the tension and damages they would cause. This work is

concerned with isolating and projecting the distinctive features of the Nigerian

Pidgin that have contributed immensely to the growth of unity, peace and

development of the Nigerian society. It will also endeavor to stress the reasons

Nigerian Pidgin should be accepted as our national language to consolidate our

national development. The focus of this paper is to suggest Nigerian Pidgin as

national language and the bedrock for national development.

Introduction

Language, as is well known, is man’s most important asset, his most important

tool with which he interacts. Indeed there can be no development without Language.

Above all, language is a people’s identity.

When we hear France (French), England (English), Portugal (Portuguese), Spain

(Spanish), Germany (German), Italy (Italian), Japan (mandarin) etc, our attention is at

once drawn to both the people and the Language.

For these and many more reasons, there has been a call at various levels for a national

Language for Nigeria since independence, but because there is no mutual agreement

among all the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria on the issue, nothing has come out of

the call yet. The different opinions is as a result of the fact that some people sincerely do

not want a national language. Their excuse is that they fear that a national language may

divide Nigeria rather than unite it. They readily refer to what happened in India, where

the introduction of a national language (Hindi) gave rise to a lot of upheavals.

The Dravids and Muslims in the east of India, who speak Dravidan and Tamil

respectively, did not take kindly to Hindi. They insisted that the government of India

must accord recognition to their respective languages as national languages too. The

refusal on the part of the government left India devastated by ethnic wars between the

Muslims (in the east) and Hindus or the vice-versa or Hindus versus Dravids or

conversely the Dravids versus the Hindus.

According to Akindele and Adegbite (2005), Nigeria is a multilingual speech

community with more than 250 ethnic groups with a conservative estimate of 400

languages. (20). Just like any other multicultural and multilingual speech community,

languages fight for recognition and use. English Language for the moment functions as

the official language of Nigeria because it has been recognized by the Federal

Government since independence in 1960. Britain, Nigeria’s colonial master had

introduced English Language in Nigeria in 1750s.English was later recognized as the

official language of Nigeria and even after independence, the Federal Government, in all

her constitutions beginning from that of 1979 to the present one, upheld English

Language as the official Language of Nigeria such that section 55 of the recent

constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria states clearly that:

The business of the national assembly shall be conductedin English and in Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba where adequatepreparations have been made therefore.

Inspite of the fact that Nigerian Pidgin has not been officially recognized like

English Language in Nigeria, it is the language for social interaction among the diverse

ethnic groups in Nigeria and for most commercial activities in the country. The Nigerian

Pidgin appears to be the only language that enables easy communication among

Nigerians and it provides a great sense of belonging among Nigerians irrespective of their

tribal or ethnic affiliations. It has gained popularity across the country such that one does

not have to go to school to learn it unlike Standard English, which requires one to go to

school in order to master it and even at that, the target is not reached.

Numerous studies over the years have analyzed different aspects of the Nigerian

Pidgin. Elugbe and Omamor (1991) argue that:

Nigerian Pidgin English should be treated as a language inits own right, with well ordered system just like any otherlanguage in Nigeria and should therefore be accordednational and official recognition (151)

Munzali in Bamgbose et al (1995) supported this view and argued for the

acceptance of the Nigerian Pidgin as a national language as it is spoken by nearly all, all

over Nigeria.

These authors also believe that Nigerian Pidgin is indigenous to Nigeria due to

the fact that it originated here ,it is developing here ,and it is sustained right here in

Nigeria. Although, some Nigerian elite try as much as possible to discourage their wards

from displaying their linguistic competence in the Nigerian Pidgin English, the same

wards speak and understand Nigerian Pidgin English very well and this is also a pointer

to its indigene ship.

The Nigerian Pidgin English has long been frowned at as a language for the

illiterates and school dropouts so much so that Elugbe in Bamgbose et al (1995) has

described it as a child without parents (Orphan) who nobody wants to claim but who is

sent on errands by everybody. He emphasized: Nigeria Pijin be laik pikin we no get papa

an mama bot everybody de sen an mesej(284).

This means that even though most Nigerians speak and understand Nigerian

Pidgin English, they do not want to be associated with this Nigerian creation and as such

they are not proud of their linguistic competence in the Nigerian Pidgin English. It is this

negative attitude towards the Nigerian Pidgin English and the ignorance about the

potential usefulness of the language especially in the area of national development, that

have for long hindered this form of communication from being accepted as the

official/national language of Nigeria.

What is Pidgin

A Pidgin is a variety of language specifically created for the purpose of

communicating among groups derived from colloquial English and mixed with

indigenous languages of a speech community. Olaoye (1998) defines Pidgin as language

whose structure and lexicon have been drastically reduced, and which is native to none of

those who use it (222).

Crystal (2008) opines that a pidgin is:

A language with a markedly reduced grammaticalstructure, lexicon and stylistic range, compared with otherlanguages, and which is the native language of no one(369)

Wardhaugh (1998) sees a pidgin as a language with no native speakers; it

is no one’s first language but is a contact language (57).

Prasad (2009) views a pidgin as:

a variety of mixed practical and immediate purposeof communication between people who otherwise would have no common language whatsoever, and learned by one person from another within the communities concerned as the accepted way of communicating with members of other community (227).

Fawehinmi (1987) says that traditionally, pidgins have been defined as

deviant forms of standard languages whose structure, vocabulary and syntax have

been reduced (71).Aziza (1993) argues that a Pidgin is a contact language which

usually evolves when for reasons which may include lack of trust or motivation or

insufficient contact, people from different language backgrounds need a means of

verbal communication, perhaps for purposes of work or trade (123).

Fromkin et al (2011) in arguing on the definition of pidgin, say that often

in history, however, speakers of mutually unintelligible languages have been

brought into contact under specific socio-economic and political conditions and

have developed a language to communicate with one another that is not native to

anyone such a language is called a pidgin (454).

Bynon (1977) and Hudson (1980) in Ofoegbu (2005) both believe and

agree that the word “Pidgin” originated from the English word “business” as

pronounced in Chinese pidgin English (i.e. the pidgin English which developed in

China). One thing worthy of mention here is that all these socio linguists and

scholars agree that pidgin is a language that arises out of contact situations among

people who have no common linguistic means of communication.

What is National Language?

National language refers to a language that is used by the generality of the

people. It must be indigenous and national in outlook and also widely used for

political, social, economic and cultural activities.

According to Akindele and Adegbite (2005), a national language refers to:

a language which has the authority of thegovernment conferred on it as the languageof a number of ethnic groups in a givengeosocio-political area. It deliberatelychosen as a symbol of oneness and unityand of achievement of independence in anerstwhile colonial situation and of the stateof nationhood (51).

Such a language according to them, must as a matter of necessity, cut across the

entire strata of the society in its use and application. For example the English language in

England, Canada and the USA. It can also be qualified as a language that is both elite and

mass oriented, integrating everybody in the political community. Elugbe in Emenajo(2004)

says a national language is a symbol of national oneness, of the achievement of

independence and nationhood (10).A national language according to Ofoegbu (2005), is a

commonly used language which invariably, may be the national language of that country, is

tantamount to that country having a common culture, a common identity and a common

world view (56). Again Ofoegbu (2012) views a national a language as a language of the

people, by the people and for the people (57).

The views of these authors point to the fact that a national language must be a

language within a geosocio-political area. It is a language that must be acceptable by the

majority so that the country will live in harmony, peace and tranquility. Examples of

countries that have national languages include Tanzania Swahili, Philippines

Tagalongs New Guinea Tok Pisin, France French, Japan Mandarin etc.

What is National Development ?

National development according to Ofoegbu (2005) is:

The gradual or stage by stage growth of acountry, politically, economically, sociallyand culturally.etc It can also go beyond themere infrastructural development to includethe attitudes of the citizens towards nationaldevelopment (national Ideology) (8).

Elugbe in Emenanjo (2004) opines that national development refers to the growth of the

nation in terms of unity, education, economic well-being, mass participation in

government etc (14). Ike (1998) views national development in its general sense, as the

gradual growth of a country politically, economically, socially and culturally etc (19).

Most people regard the gradual development of the infrastructures as definite signs of

national development. The optimal development of a country can place it among the

developed countries of the world. For a country to be developed, it must attain political

development, economic development, social development and cultural development.

The afore mentioned types of development are what usually comes to the mind of

a layman at the mention of the phrase, National development. Ike (1998) says that

national development involves a lot more than physical infrastructures. In its very

positive sense it involves a change in the individual, a reorientation towards national

goals and the harnessing of resources for the development of the nation and the welfare

of its citizens (22). He further states that infrastructures are not enough to ensure a

nation’s development, the attitudes of the citizen towards national development, call it

national ideology, sense of patriotism, or value system is far more important and all

encompassing than mere infrastructures (22).

Finally, national development can be said to involve two components, one of

which is physical and the other non physical. Again Ike (1998) says that the physical

component consists of the physical infrastructure of development, the other consists of

the ideals, values and requisite attitudes that not only ensure unity, peace and tranquility

but also the attainment of the national goals and objectives (23).

The Origin of Pidgin

For quite sometime, the exact origin of Pidgin has been shrouded in controversy.

Several contending theories have been postulated to explain its origins. Elugbe and

Omamor (1991) have critically examined these theories and grouped them broadly into

monogenetic and polygenetic theories. The monogenetic theory holds that every single

pidgin has its origin from one single source - the “ur” pidgin, a late medieval

Mediterranean pidgin, which was regarded as a sailor’s jargon and used as a lingua

franca by the Mediterranean sailor’s and the traders. The polygenetic theory argued that

pidgins of each different communities result from separate processes of creation and

development. Notable polygenetic theories they explicate include the baby-talk theory,

independent parallel development theory and the nautical jargon theory. For the purpose

of this paper, only the theses of these theories will be stated.

The baby-talk theory sees pidgin in terms of early efforts by children to acquire

mastery language. The main arguments usually advanced in support of this view are that:

a. speakers of pidgin, like children only approximate the pronunciation of

the standard language that is being pidginized.

b. both children language and pidgins involve high proportion of content

words and low function words.

c. both children’s speech and that of speakers of pidgin show evidence of

inflection.

The independent parallel theory opines that there are well-acknowledged

similarities between pidgins and this serves to explain that they derive their input

from some indo-European language and that they involve a percentage of

speakers who share “a common West-African Substratum.”

On its part, the nautical jargon theory assumes a nautical jargon as the

basis of many pidgins. It believes that the crews of ships were historically

composed of people from different linguistic background such that

communication had to be in a kind of “sailor’s lingual franca”. The assumption is

that the nautical jargon must have been passed on to the people, with whom the

sailors had contact.

Comparatively, the different approaches and theories notwithstanding, we

cannot single out any particular one of the existing theories as being a prediction

for the origin of pidgins. Rather, a holistic approach to the theories will serve to

shed more light on the origin of pidgins. If viewed from this collective

perspective, it will explicate the fact that pidgins originate as a contact language,

whose continued existence is always a sustained by sociolinguistic realities.

The birth of Pidgin in Nigeria

When we take a closer look at the linguistic map of Nigeria, we see that

the Nigerian population is multilingual in nature except in the Hausa, Igbo and

Yoruba speakinhg areas which are in the North, East and West respectively.

In the north, the dominant language is Hausa, in the West it is Yoruba but in East,

even though the Igbo’s are the dominant tribe , Igbo language is not the dominant

language. It does not dominate other languages such as Ijaw, Ibibio, Efik and

Itshekiri etc just as Hausa and Yoruba dominate in their respective areas or

regions.

It was therefore in the Cross River and Niger Delta areas of Nigeria that

Nigerian Pidgin first flourished since there existed very many independent

languages in the eastern part of Nigeria which include the Cross River and Niger

Delta areas. The claim that it was in these areas that Nigerian Pidgin flourished is

supported by the fact that it was in these areas that Nigerians made contact with

English language in the 16th and 17the centuries. Though Nigeria and Nigerians

first made contact with the outside world at Badagry in Lagos.

Nigerian Pidgin English is seen by many as a debased form of Standard

English in Nigeria is a fact that also supports this claim that Nigerian Pidgin

English flourished around the Cross River and Niger Delta areas. The pidgin

centres were for a very long time Calabar, Warri, Sapele and Port Harcourt. The

contact between the multilingual coastal communities of Nigerian and Portuguese

merchants, later joined by the Dutch and English merchants, marked the advent of

pidgin in Nigeria.

Some Source Languages of Nigerian Pidgin

There are some loan words from other European countries that had earlier

contact with Nigeria before the advent of British imperialism. Many of these

words are traced to Portuguese, Spanish or French antecedents. Examples

includes:

a. Portuguese

Pidgin Source Language MeaningPikin Pequenino ChildPalaver Palaba TroubleDash Das Give freely

b. Spanish

Pidgin Source Language MeaningPaya Panya A thing of inferior qualityChinchi Chinche Bedbug

Solo Solo Alonec. French

Pidgin Source Language MeaningJuju Joujou MasqueradeBoku Beaucoup PlentyMadam Madame An Elderly lady

Archaic Language

Jowitt observed that some pidgin words reflect older English usage. Such

words include “Yonder” and “quench” and other archaic words from British

English.

Local Content

Pidgin English in Nigeria has not depended solely on European languages;

rather, it has borrowed from our diverse local languages interesting examples

have been provided below, to illustrate the process expansion of the scope of

pidgin lexicon. The following are examples from Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba

respectively.

a. Hausa Meaning

Yanga - showing off

Dabaru - spoil

Wahala - trouble

Banza - bastard (insult)

Shai - tea

Uwarka - your mother (insult)

Ereke - sugar cane

Suya - roasted meat

b. Igbo Meaning

Okoro - any Igbo man

Tufiakwa - God forbid

Agaracha - irresponsible (person)

Unu - you (plural)

Obodo - country

Nna bros - a friend

Odeshi - nothing will happen

Akpu - pounded cassava (food)

c. Yoruba Meaning

Shakara - showing off

Wayo - tricks

Yeye - worthless (thing or person)

Oya - come-on

Jara - bonus

Oyibo - white man

Omoge - young lady

Pafuka - to spoil

Oga - master/boss

Agbero - tout

Ashewo - prostitute

The Nigerian Pidgin English was therefore structured by interference from

the languages of the local populace, which resulted into a Pidgin English, which is

a makeshift of English language. This process of pidginization started in Nigeria

since the early 1930s and it has been increasing at break neck speed especially in

southern Nigeria. Recently, it has started spreading to the north especially in the

cosmopolitan areas like Makurdi, Lafia, Abuja, Kaduna, Sokoto, Gombe, Yola,

Maiduguri, Kano, Kastina, Jos and a host of other towns in the north and it has

gained currency all over the wide country. Part of the attraction of pidgin in

Nigeria is that it cuts across social strata inspite of the bourgeois pretension to the

contrary was the observation of Abdulkadir. This is because it is freely spoken by

the working class as a link language and the elite in the society (even the

university dons) especially among their peers in a relaxed atmosphere.

Elugbe and Omamor pointed out that pidgin in Nigeria is certainly far from

being limited to one code, register etc, that is, it can no longer be described as

restricted in use since everybody in Nigeria speaks and understands it. it could

also be agreed that Nigerian Pidgin English is the unclaimed national language of

Nigeria. This is because it is the most effective learned master, the market woman

and the sophisticated house wife and most of all, it is a medium of communication

between people of different backgrounds in Nigeria today.

The Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE)

By Nigerian pidgin, we specifically mean Nigerian Pidgin English

(Mafeni 1971, Elugbe and Omamor 1991). It is the only pidgin, which has a

geographic base in Nigeria .This is to say that the pidgin used in Nigeria is

referred to as Nigerian Pidgin because it is politically and socio-linguistically

different from other pidgins in the world. Nigerian Pidgin English is English

based or English related because most of its vocabulary is derived from English

and since it has Nigerian local languages as its substrata or underlying influence,

it can be said that this vocabulary of Nigerian Pidgin English is English while its

grammar is Nigerian. That is Nigerian Pidgin English uses English words but it is

structured by Nigerians to suit their socio-linguistic environment.

In fact it has been argued that Nigerian Pidgin English is a phenomenon

of colonization, whose origin lies in the contact between Nigerians and Europeans

on the coast of Nigeria. It is also a product of subsequent contact among

Nigerians therefore, a phenomenon of socialization.

After the early contact between the visiting Europeans and their host

Nigerians on the coast, some Nigerians were constrained to develop a means of

communication, which would bring them closer to the white men. Such Nigerians

were employed by the European missionaries and traders to serve as stewards,

drivers, cooks, gardeners, interpreters and even as teachers. When such Nigerians

later went back and made contacts with their fellow Nigerians, there arose in them

that instinct to continue to use the contact language they were using with the

whites and that language is what we popularly refer today refer to as, the Nigerian

Pidgin. Its scope has grown beyond the initial urban centralism to encompass the

whole nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

The Relationship between National Language and National Development

The major function of language in national development is basically to

facilitate communication among its citizens and to co-ordinate their joint efforts

and actions towards their nation’s desired goals and objectives. According to Ike

(1998), a common language is needed to develop a country. He argues that

language is always the vehicle for the attainment of national goals. We in Nigeria

need the Nigerian Pidgin English as our national language. We need it to initiate

and make joint actions possible. We need the Nigerian Pidgin English to create

awareness among our people, to reorientate and harmonize our values towards a

national objective. There could be no other effective way to achieve these, for

with the Nigerian Pidgin English as our national language, we inform, persuade,

explain, discuss, negotiate, debate and finally agree.

There is indeed a close relationship between a national language which a

nation is identified with and the National Development of that nation. Infact

taking into consideration the importance of language generally, no country, no

matter how powerful, can exist or survive, let alone develop, without a commonly

used language which invariably, may be the national language of that country.

Without a common language, a country soon lacks social and political

cohesion to identify and set common or national goals and objectives which form

the bedrock of national development in that country. Without a common language

a country soon degenerates into a collection of mere tribal or ethnic enclaves each

of which is wont to pursue its own selfish interests at the expense of others which

could lead to a breakdown of law and order among the various tribes and

eventually culminate into chaos, anarchy and degeneration of the various

linguistic entities making up the country.

At this juncture, it should be stressed that any country without a

commonly used language as her national language, risks general insecurity arising

from suspicion, distrust and lack of faith among the citizens. Again Ike (1998)

rightly concludes that a common language is a sine-qua-non for national

development and national cohesion (29).

A commonly used language can facilitate national development in a

country. This is because when there is oneness in language, there would be less

suspicion on individual and ethnic basis. Ike (1998) notes that it is natural to be

suspicious of those who speak differently from us, and to feel at home with those

whose language is like our own (26). With the Nigerian Pidgin English as our

national language, there will be less suspicion; there will be fewer rancors and

thus peace and tranquility without which national development would be a far cry

in Nigeria. With the Nigerian Pidgin English as our national language, the

communicative needs of our country Nigeria, which is primary to National

Development, will be easily met. It will also facilitate the meeting of minds of

Nigerians on issues affecting our common destiny. It will also facilitate the relay

of Federal Government Policies to the masses in Nigeria, who in turn would find

no problem in interpreting and implementing same at their levels. The Nigerian

Pidgin English as our national language will facilitate free use of language at

every level of human interaction in Nigeria be it ordinary conversation, public

speeches, lectures, rallies or even inter group communications. With the Nigerian

Pidgin English as our national language, the hinter land (or rural areas) will no

longer feel distrait or made to feel as if they are not part of Nigeria.

On the other hand, when a commonly used language is not recognized as a

national language in a country, national development will be impeded. This is

because they will be fighting for recognition and use from the different tribes and

languages in that country. This may even lead to wanton destruction of lives and

property. This, incidentally, has been a major constraint on national development.

In Nigeria, suspicion at every level in the society is prevalent. This is because we

do not have oneness in language and basically we have no national language to

call our own. As stated earlier, it is natural to be suspicious of those who speak

differently from us and to feel at home with those whose language is like our own

or who speak the same language with us.

The Case for the Nigerian Pidgin in the Political, Economic, Social

And Cultural Development of Nigeria.

Nigeria since independence has been engulfed in what one might call

politics of lingua franca. The amalgamation of 1914, which brought different

ethnic entities together, each speaking a different language, is perhaps solely to

blame. This singular act gave Nigeria well over 400 indigenous languages each of

which is dissimilar to the other. The problem today is which of the over 400

languages should be adopted as Nigeria’s National Language.

Many speeches have been made on this issue, many papers and books written on

the desirability and dire need for a national language. The solution to the problem

may appear elusive but the solution is right before us in form of the Nigerian

Pidgin English. This is because it fulfils two out of the three conditions, as

mentioned by Elugbe in Bamgbose et al (1995), laid down for a language to be

called national in Nigeria. The third condition obviously lies in the hand of the

federal government of Nigeria.

National development refers, among other things, to the growth of a

country in terms of unity, education, economic well being and mass participation

in government. The national policy on education (NPE) promulgated by the

federal government of Nigeria in 1977, revised in 1981 and 2004, contains a

definite statement on the role of language in education. Section 3:15(4) of that

document, states categorically that the language of instruction in the primary

school should be initially the child’s mother-tongue or the language of the child’s

immediate community. It therefore follows that Nigerian Pidgin English can be

used in teaching many Nigerians where many local languages would have been

inadequate. This would remove the psychological shock which pupils experience

when they leave home and encounter a new language, which they do not speak

and understand very well or which they have not before hand made contact with

at all. It is also a matter of common sense that a child or anybody for that matter

learns better when taught or is being taught in a language he or she understands

very well. Therefore our language policy ought logically to lead to the

development of Nigerian Pidgin English for use as official medium for teaching in

our schools since nearly all Nigerians have knowledge of it before going to

school.

Recognition and development of Nigerian Pidgin English would also

greatly reduce the cost of implementing the language provisions of our

educational policy because Nigerian Pidgin English is a dominant language in

very many cities and communities across many states in Nigeria today.

Once we accept that education is part, if not indeed, the corner stone of

national development in Nigeria, it will then be obvious that Nigeria Pidgin

English must be developed and promoted if we must establish our educational

system on a surer footing. When we make it possible for our children to learn the

basic disciplines relevant to modern technology in Nigerian Pidgin English, then

the seed to transferred technology as Ike (1998) puts it, will not fall on barren

ground nor fail to germinate (44).

Mass literacy campaigns are on in Nigeria, on papers, television stations

and of course radio stations. The quickest and easiest way to make the majority of

Nigerians literate is through the Nigerian Pidgin English. One of the advantages

of mass literacy is that government will reach the people more effectively. For

example a campaign geared towards warning and alerting people on fake drugs in

Nigeria, should and can be carried out in Nigerian Pidgin English. This is because

messages in Nigerian Pidgin English reach Nigerians faster than English language

.

In terms of mass participation in government, there is a good case for

developing Nigerian Pidgin English. Democracy, which is our goal, cannot truly

exist when active participation at the levels of policy-making and execution is

almost exclusive to the elitist group of the populace who enjoy the privilege of

relative ease in the use of English language, which is the official language of

Nigeria. Amayo (1983) and Bamgbose (1983) both agree in Ofoegbu (2005) that

trying to make the masses see the issues in an election is meaningless where the

people cannot be reached in a language they are familiar with and can

communicate in with relative ease. The Nigerian pidgin English has again risen up

to this occasion. Today in Nigeria, political campaigns, government policies and

information etc are carried out effectively in the Nigerian Pidgin English.

In achieving true participation in Nigeria, therefore, more attention should be paid

to the role of the Nigerian Pidgin English in developing our country, Nigeria.

With the Nigerian Pidgin English as our national language, we can

develop our nation greatly. First of all, government policies will be relayed to the

people who in turn will adhere strictly to what is being said or done.

Many programmes today are now carried out in Nigeria Pidgin English and this

has helped to create awareness among Nigerians. Even our cultural values are not

left out. Cultures in Nigeria today are also being promoted with the Nigerian

Pidgin English. President Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria,

when in office, is known to have used the Nigerian Pidgin English outside the

shores of Nigeria. This is always the case when he meets with the Nigerian

community in any country. This is also a promotion of our Nigerian Pidgin

English. Where he was supposed to have used very many Nigerian languages, he

used the Nigerian Pidgin English.

In terms of economic development, it can be rightly said that finance

houses such as banks, insurance and mortgagee houses now employ Nigerian

Pidgin English in their marketing strategies. When elevated to the status of

national language in Nigeria, the Nigerian pidgin English will help these financial

houses to carry out their businesses effectively. This is because the common man

will now know how to save or withdraw money even without going to school.

Industries can as well market their products because when they use the Nigerian

Pidgin English, their products and adverts will reach the grassroots. It is worthy to

note here that most adverts for goods and services have been effectively

distributed because the Nigerian Pidgin English has been used to achieve the aim.

One of the advantages of developing the Nigerian Pidgin English and

elevating it to a national language in Nigeria is that nobody will be left out of the

developmental process in Nigeria. When this is so, no ethnic group will feel left

out in the scheme of things in Nigeria, trust will reign and everybody will work

towards the betterment of our country. Peace, justice, equity and fair play will

reign because everybody in Nigeria use and understand the Nigerian Pidgin

English. With the elevation of the Nigerian Pidgin English as our national

language, the story of the tower of Babel before the Lord confounded their

language as mentioned in Ike (1998:25), will be a reality in Nigeria. That is

national developments will be visible in Nigeria and Nigeria will join the league

of developed nations of the world.

The case for Nigerian Pidgin English in the development of Nigeria has

been very well stated and so requires no further flogging. But even so the point

has to be made that developing Nigerian Pidgin English and elevating it to our

national language does not mean abandoning English language. While our

national language for national development should be Nigerian Pidgin English,

English language should serve for the moment, a medium of instructions in

schools and our language of international relations.

Conclusion

This paper proposes the Nigerian Pidgin as a better option to be our

national language because of the priceless potentials it has in developing our

country politically, economically, socially and culturally. This paper also exposes

those priceless potentials that make it stand high above the indigenous languages

including the major languages, and English language as a national language and

bedrock of national development. This paper takes its stand that unless Nigeria is

able to adopt the Nigerian Pidgin for use as her national language, which will

bring national developments, and ensure her national identity, she cannot claim to

be truely free or independent. If Tanzania has been able to choose one language,

Swahili, as her national language, there is no reason, why Nigeria, the giant of

Africa and the most populous black nation in the world, cannot do the same.

Idiomatically speaking, where there is a will, there is a way.

References

Akindele Femi and Adegbite Wale (2005). The sociology and Politics of English

in Nigeria: an Introduction. Ile-ife: Obafemi Awolowo University Press.

Aziza Rose (1993)” Pidgin and Indigenous Languages of the Warri of Delta

State” in Ozo Mekuri Ndimele (ed) Four Decades in the Study of Languages

and Linguistics in Nigeria. Celebrities Series Volume 1. A Festschrift for

Kay Williamson .Aba: NINLAN.

Crystal David (2008) A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Sixth edition.

Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Elugbe Ben (2004) National Language and National Development in Emenajo E.

N (ed) Multilingualism Minority Languages and Language Policy in

Nigeria. Agbor: Central Books Limited.

Elugbe Ben (1995) Nigerian Pidgin: Problems and Prospects in Bamgbose Ayo et

al (eds) New Englishes: A West African Perspective. Ibadan: Mosuro

Publishers.

Elugbe Ben and Omamor Augusta (1991) Nigerian Pidgin: Background and

Prospects. Ibadan: Heinemann.

Fawehinmi Patrick (1987) Communication in Pidgin in Nigeria: Origin, Problems

and Prospects in Unoh S.(ed) Tropical Issues in Communication Arts.

Lagos: Longman Nigeria.

Fromkin Victoria et al (2011) An introduction to Language. International edition.

United States:Wadsworth

Ike J. Ndubuisi (1998) Language and National Development: the Nigerian

Experience. Abuja: Wilbest Educational Books.

Munzal Jubril (1995) the Elaboration of the Functions of Nigerian Pidgin in

Bamgbose Ayo et al (eds) New Englishes: a West African Perspective.

Ibadan: Mosuro Publishers.

Ofoegbu Cyril Okechukwu (2012) “Language and Democracy: the Nigeria

Experience” Journal of Social Sciences and Public Policy. Minna: vol 4

(online).

Ofoegbu Cyril Okechukwu (2012) “the Nigerian Pidgin English and Creolization:

Towards the Search for a National Language.” International Journal of

Humanities. Accra, Ghana.

Ofoegbu Cyril Okechukwu (2005) the Nigerian Pidgin English as a National

Language and Bedrock of National Development in Nigeria. Makurdi:

Benue State University Dissertation.

Olaoye Ayo (1998) Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Abuja: Ogunleye Publishing

and Printing Press.

Prasad Tarni (2009) a Course in Linguistics. New Delhi; PHL Learning Private

Limited.

Wardhaugh Ronald (1998) an Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Third edition.

Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Ofoegbu, C. O., (2013); Nigerian Pidgin As A National Language and Bedrock of National Development, ANSU Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 2 (1):73-84

Nigerian Pidgin As A National Language And Bedrock of National Development

Ofoegbu, Cyril OkechukwuDepartment of English,Anambra State University, Igbariam Campus,Anambra State, [email protected]

Abstract Nigeria is a multilingual and a multicultural speech community and as such, the need for a nationallanguage should be emphasized so as to foster peace and unity and above all, enhance nationaldevelopment. Nigeria has searched for a national language for so long, a language that would uniteNigerians. All the indigenous languages in Nigeria have been ruled out as possible solution to thisproblem because of the tension and damages they would cause. This work is concerned withisolating and projecting the distinctive features of the Nigerian Pidgin that have contributedimmensely to the growth of unity, peace and development of the Nigerian society. It will alsoendeavor to stress the reasons Nigerian Pidgin should be accepted as our national language toconsolidate our national development. The focus of this paper is to suggest Nigerian Pidgin asnational language and the bedrock for national development.

Keywords: Nigerian pidgin, national language and national development.

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mailto:[email protected]

ANSU Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

IntroductionLanguage, as is well known, is man’s mostimportant asset, his most important tool withwhich he interacts. Indeed there can be nodevelopment without Language. Above all,language is a people’s identity.

When we hear France (French),England (English), Portugal (Portuguese),Spain (Spanish), Germany (German), Italy(Italian), Japan (mandarin) etc, our attention isat once drawn to both the people and theLanguage.For these and many more reasons, there hasbeen a call at various levels for a nationalLanguage for Nigeria since independence, butbecause there is no mutual agreement amongall the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria onthe issue, nothing has come out of the call yet.The different opinions is as a result of the factthat some people sincerely do not want anational language. Their excuse is that they fearthat a national language may divide Nigeriarather than unite it. They readily refer to whathappened in India, where the introduction of anational language (Hindi) gave rise to a lot ofupheavals. The Dravids and Muslims in the east ofIndia, who speak Dravidan and Tamilrespectively, did not take kindly to Hindi. Theyinsisted that the government of India mustaccord recognition to their respective languagesas national languages too. The refusal on thepart of the government left India devastated byethnic wars between the Muslims (in the east)and Hindus or the vice-versa or Hindus versusDravids or conversely the Dravids versus theHindus.

According to Akindele and Adegbite(2005), Nigeria is a multilingual speechcommunity with more than 250 ethnic groupswith a conservative estimate of 400 languages.(20). Just like any other multicultural andmultilingual speech community, languagesfight for recognition and use. English Languagefor the moment functions as the officiallanguage of Nigeria because it has been

recognized by the Federal Government sinceindependence in 1960. Britain, Nigeria’scolonial master had introduced EnglishLanguage in Nigeria in 1750s.English was laterrecognized as the official language of Nigeriaand even after independence, the FederalGovernment, in all her constitutions beginningfrom that of 1979 to the present one, upheldEnglish Language as the official Language ofNigeria such that section 55 of the recentconstitution of Federal Republic of Nigeriastates clearly that:

The business of the nationalassembly shall be conducted inEnglish and in Hausa, Ibo andYoruba where adequatepreparations have been madetherefore.

Inspite of the fact that Nigerian Pidginhas not been officially recognized like EnglishLanguage in Nigeria, it is the language forsocial interaction among the diverse ethnicgroups in Nigeria and for most commercialactivities in the country. The Nigerian Pidginappears to be the only language that enableseasy communication among Nigerians and itprovides a great sense of belonging amongNigerians irrespective of their tribal or ethnicaffiliations. It has gained popularity across thecountry such that one does not have to go toschool to learn it unlike Standard English,which requires one to go to school in order tomaster it and even at that, the target is notreached.

Numerous studies over the years haveanalyzed different aspects of the NigerianPidgin. Elugbe and Omamor (1991) argue that:

Nigerian Pidgin English should betreated as a language in its ownright, with well ordered system justlike any other language in Nigeriaand should therefore be accordednational and official recognition(151)

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Munzali in Bamgbose et al (1995)supported this view and argued for theacceptance of the Nigerian Pidgin as a nationallanguage as it is spoken by nearly all, all overNigeria. These authors also believe thatNigerian Pidgin is indigenous to Nigeria due tothe fact that it originated here ,it is developinghere ,and it is sustained right here in Nigeria.Although, some Nigerian elite try as much aspossible to discourage their wards fromdisplaying their linguistic competence in theNigerian Pidgin English, the same wards speakand understand Nigerian Pidgin English verywell and this is also a pointer to its indigeneship.

The Nigerian Pidgin English has longbeen frowned at as a language for the illiteratesand school dropouts so much so that Elugbe inBamgbose et al (1995) has described it as achild without parents (Orphan) who nobodywants to claim but who is sent on errands byeverybody. He emphasized: Nigeria Pijin belaik pikin we no get papa an mama boteverybody de sen an mesej (284).

This means that even though mostNigerians speak and understand NigerianPidgin English, they do not want to beassociated with this Nigerian creation and assuch they are not proud of their linguisticcompetence in the Nigerian Pidgin English. Itis this negative attitude towards the NigerianPidgin English and the ignorance about thepotential usefulness of the language especiallyin the area of national development, that havefor long hindered this form of communicationfrom being accepted as the official/nationallanguage of Nigeria.

What is PidginA Pidgin is a variety of language specificallycreated for the purpose of communicatingamong groups derived from colloquial Englishand mixed with indigenous languages of aspeech community. Olaoye (1998) defines

Pidgin as language whose structure and lexiconhave been drastically reduced, and which isnative to none of those who use it (222).Crystal (2008) opines that a pidgin is:

A language with a markedlyreduced grammatical structure,lexicon and stylistic range,compared with other languages,and which is the native language ofno one (369)

Wardhaugh (1998) sees a pidgin as a languagewith no native speakers; it is no one’s firstlanguage but is a contact language (57). Prasad (2009) views a pidgin as:

a variety of mixed practical andimmediate purpose ofcommunication between peoplewho otherwise would have nocommon language whatsoever, andlearned by one person from anotherwithin the communities concernedas the accepted way ofcommunicating with members ofother community (227).

Fawehinmi (1987) says that traditionally,pidgins have been defined as deviant forms ofstandard languages whose structure, vocabularyand syntax have been reduced (71). Aziza(1993) argues that a Pidgin is a contactlanguage which usually evolves when forreasons which may include lack of trust ormotivation or insufficient contact, people fromdifferent language backgrounds need a meansof verbal communication, perhaps for purposesof work or trade (123). Fromkin et al (2011) in arguing on thedefinition of pidgin, say that often in history,however, speakers of mutually unintelligiblelanguages have been brought into contact underspecific socio-economic and politicalconditions and have developed a language tocommunicate with one another that is not

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native to anyone such a language is called apidgin (454).

Bynon (1977) and Hudson (1980) inOfoegbu (2005) both believe and agree that theword “Pidgin” originated from the Englishword “business” as pronounced in Chinesepidgin English (i.e. the pidgin English whichdeveloped in China). One thing worthy ofmention here is that all these socio linguistsand scholars agree that pidgin is a languagethat arises out of contact situations amongpeople who have no common linguistic meansof communication.

What is National Language?National language refers to a language that isused by the generality of the people. It must beindigenous and national in outlook and alsowidely used for political, social, economic andcultural activities.

According to Akindele and Adegbite(2005), a national language refers to:

a language which has the authorityof the government conferred on itas the language of a number ofethnic groups in a given geosocio-political area. It deliberatelychosen as a symbol of oneness andunity and of achievement ofindependence in an erstwhilecolonial situation and of the state ofnationhood (51).

Such a language according to them,must as a matter of necessity, cut across theentire strata of the society in its use andapplication. For example the English languagein England, Canada and the USA. It can also bequalified as a language that is both elite andmass oriented, integrating everybody in thepolitical community. Elugbe in Emenajo (2004)says a national language is a symbol of nationaloneness, of the achievement of independenceand nationhood (10). A national languageaccording to Ofoegbu (2005), is a commonlyused language which invariably, may be the

national language of that country, is tantamountto that country having a common culture, acommon identity and a common world view(56). Again Ofoegbu (2012) views a national alanguage as a language of the people, by thepeople and for the people (57).

The views of these authors point to thefact that a national language must be alanguage within a geosocio-political area. It isa language that must be acceptable by themajority so that the country will live inharmony, peace and tranquility. Examples ofcountries that have national languages includeTanzania Swahili, Philippines Tagalongs, New Guinea Tok Pisin, France

French, Japan Mandarin etc.

What is National Development?National development according to Ofoegbu(2005) is:

The gradual or stage by stagegrowth of a country, politically,economically, socially andculturally. Etc. It can also gobeyond the mere infrastructuraldevelopment to include the attitudesof the citizens towards nationaldevelopment (national Ideology)(8).

Elugbe in Emenanjo (2004) opines thatnational development refers to the growth ofthe nation in terms of unity, education,economic well-being, mass participation ingovernment etc (14). Ike (1998) views nationaldevelopment in its general sense, as the gradualgrowth of a country politically, economically,socially and culturally etc (19). Most peopleregard the gradual development of theinfrastructures as definite signs of nationaldevelopment. The optimal development of acountry can place it among the developedcountries of the world. For a country to bedeveloped, it must attain political development,

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economic development, social developmentand cultural development.

The aforementioned types ofdevelopment are what usually come to themind of a layman at the mention of the phrase,National development. Ike (1998) says thatnational development involves a lot more thanphysical infrastructures. In its very positivesense it involves a change in the individual, areorientation towards national goals and theharnessing of resources for the development ofthe nation and the welfare of its citizens (22).He further states that infrastructures are notenough to ensure a nation’s development, theattitudes of the citizen towards nationaldevelopment, call it national ideology, sense ofpatriotism, or value system is far moreimportant and all encompassing than mereinfrastructures (22).

Finally, national development can besaid to involve two components, one of whichis physical and the other non physical. AgainIke (1998) says that the physical componentconsists of the physical infrastructure ofdevelopment, the other consists of the ideals,values and requisite attitudes that not onlyensure unity, peace and tranquility but also theattainment of the national goals and objectives(23).

The Origin of Pidgin For quite sometime, the exact origin of Pidginhas been shrouded in controversy. Severalcontending theories have been postulated toexplain its origins. Elugbe and Omamor (1991)have critically examined these theories andgrouped them broadly into monogenetic andpolygenetic theories. The monogenetic theoryholds that every single pidgin has its originfrom one single source - the “ur” pidgin, a latemedieval Mediterranean pidgin, which wasregarded as a sailor’s jargon and used as alingua franca by the Mediterranean sailor’sand the traders. The polygenetic theory arguedthat pidgins of each different communitiesresult from separate processes of creation and

development. Notable polygenetic theories theyexplicate include the baby-talk theory,independent parallel development theory andthe nautical jargon theory. For the purpose ofthis paper, only the theses of these theories willbe stated.

The baby-talk theory sees pidgin in terms ofearly efforts by children to acquire masterylanguage. The main arguments usuallyadvanced in support of this view are that:a. speakers of pidgin, like children only

approximate the pronunciation of thestandard language that is beingpidginized.

b. both children language and pidginsinvolve high proportion of contentwords and low function words.

c. both children’s speech and that ofspeakers of pidgin show evidence ofinflection.

The independent parallel theory opines thatthere are well-acknowledged similaritiesbetween pidgins and this serves to explain thatthey derive their input from some indo-European language and that they involve apercentage of speakers who share “a commonWest-African Substratum.”

On its part, the nautical jargon theoryassumes a nautical jargon as the basis of manypidgins. It believes that the crews of ships werehistorically composed of people from differentlinguistic background such that communicationhad to be in a kind of “sailor’s lingual franca”.The assumption is that the nautical jargon musthave been passed on to the people, with whomthe sailors had contact.

Comparatively, the different approachesand theories notwithstanding, we cannot singleout any particular one of the existing theoriesas being a prediction for the origin of pidgins.Rather, a holistic approach to the theories willserve to shed more light on the origin ofpidgins. If viewed from this collectiveperspective, it will explicate the fact that

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pidgins originate as a contact language, whosecontinued existence is always a sustained bysociolinguistic realities.

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The Birth of Pidgin in NigeriaWhen we take a closer look at the linguisticmap of Nigeria, we see that the Nigerianpopulation is multilingual in nature except inthe Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba speaking areaswhich are in the North, East and Westrespectively.

In the north, the dominant language isHausa, in the West it is Yoruba but in East,even though the Igbo’s are the dominant tribe,Igbo language is not the dominant language. Itdoes not dominate other languages such asIjaw, Ibibio, Efik and Itshekiri etc just as Hausaand Yoruba dominate in their respective areasor regions.

It was therefore in the Cross River andNiger Delta areas of Nigeria that NigerianPidgin first flourished since there existed verymany independent languages in the eastern partof Nigeria which include the Cross River andNiger Delta areas. The claim that it was inthese areas that Nigerian Pidgin flourished issupported by the fact that it was in these areasthat Nigerians made contact with Englishlanguage in the 16th and 17the centuries.Though Nigeria and Nigerians first madecontact with the outside world at Badagry inLagos.

Nigerian Pidgin English is seen bymany as a debased form of Standard English inNigeria is a fact that also supports this claimthat Nigerian Pidgin English flourished aroundthe Cross River and Niger Delta areas. Thepidgin centres were for a very long timeCalabar, Warri, Sapele and Port Harcourt. Thecontact between the multilingual coastalcommunities of Nigerian and Portuguesemerchants, later joined by the Dutch andEnglish merchants, marked the advent ofpidgin in Nigeria.

Some Source Languages of Nigerian Pidgin There are some loan words from otherEuropean countries that had earlier contactwith Nigeria before the advent of Britishimperialism. Many of these words are traced to

Portuguese, Spanish or French antecedents.Examples includes:a. Portuguese

Pidgin SourceLanguage

Meaning

Pikin Pequenino ChildPalaver Palaba TroubleDash Das Give freely

b. SpanishPidgin Source

LanguageMeaning

Paya Panya A thing ofinferiorquality

Chinchi Chinche Bedbug

Solo Solo Alonec. French

Pidgin SourceLanguage

Meaning

Juju Joujou MasqueradeBoku Beaucoup PlentyMadam Madame An Elderly

lady

Archaic LanguageJowitt observed that some pidgin words reflectolder English usage. Such words include“Yonder” and “quench” and other archaicwords from British English.

Local ContentPidgin English in Nigeria has not dependedsolely on European languages; rather, it hasborrowed from our diverse local languagesinteresting examples have been providedbelow, to illustrate the process expansion of thescope of pidgin lexicon. The following areexamples from Hausa, Igbo and Yorubarespectively.a. Hausa - Meaning

Yanga - showing offDabaru - spoilWahala - trouble

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Banza - bastard (insult)Shai - teaUwarka - your mother

(insult)Ereke - sugar caneSuya - roasted meat

b. Igbo - MeaningOkoro - any Igbo manTufiakwa - God forbidAgaracha - irresponsible

(person)Unu - you (plural)Obodo - countryNna bros - a friendOdeshi - nothing

will happenAkpu - pounded cassava

(food)

c. Yoruba MeaningShakara - showing offWayo - tricksYeye - worthless (thing or

person)Oya - come-onJara - bonusOyibo - white manOmoge - young ladyPafuka - to spoilOga - master/bossAgbero - toutAshewo - prostitute

The Nigerian Pidgin English was thereforestructured by interference from the languagesof the local populace, which resulted into aPidgin English, which is a makeshift of Englishlanguage. This process of pidginization startedin Nigeria since the early 1930s and it has beenincreasing at break neck speed especially insouthern Nigeria. Recently, it has startedspreading to the north especially in thecosmopolitan areas like Makurdi, Lafia, Abuja,Kaduna, Sokoto, Gombe, Yola, Maiduguri,Kano, Kastina, Jos and a host of other towns in

the north and it has gained currency all over thewide country. Part of the attraction of pidgin inNigeria is that it cuts across social strata inspiteof the bourgeois pretension to the contrary wasthe observation of Abdulkadir. This is becauseit is freely spoken by the working class as alink language and the elite in the society (eventhe university dons) especially among theirpeers in a relaxed atmosphere.

Elugbe and Omamor pointed out thatpidgin in Nigeria is certainly far from beinglimited to one code, register etc, that is, it canno longer be described as restricted in use sinceeverybody in Nigeria speaks and understandsit. it could also be agreed that Nigerian PidginEnglish is the unclaimed national language ofNigeria. This is because it is the most effectivelearned master, the market woman and thesophisticated house wife and most of all, it is amedium of communication between people ofdifferent backgrounds in Nigeria today.

The Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE)By Nigerian pidgin, we specifically meanNigerian Pidgin English (Mafeni 1971, Elugbeand Omamor 1991). It is the only pidgin, whichhas a geographic base in Nigeria .This is to saythat the pidgin used in Nigeria is referred to asNigerian Pidgin because it is politically andsocio-linguistically different from other pidginsin the world. Nigerian Pidgin English isEnglish based or English related because mostof its vocabulary is derived from English andsince it has Nigerian local languages as itssubstrata or underlying influence, it can be saidthat this vocabulary of Nigerian Pidgin Englishis English while its grammar is Nigerian. Thatis Nigerian Pidgin English uses English wordsbut it is structured by Nigerians to suit theirsocio-linguistic environment.

In fact it has been argued that NigerianPidgin English is a phenomenon ofcolonization, whose origin lies in the contactbetween Nigerians and Europeans on the coastof Nigeria. It is also a product of subsequent

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contact among Nigerians therefore, aphenomenon of socialization. After the early contact between thevisiting Europeans and their host Nigerians onthe coast, some Nigerians were constrained todevelop a means of communication, whichwould bring them closer to the white men.Such Nigerians were employed by theEuropean missionaries and traders to serve asstewards, drivers, cooks, gardeners, interpretersand even as teachers. When such Nigerianslater went back and made contacts with theirfellow Nigerians, there arose in them thatinstinct to continue to use the contact languagethey were using with the whites and thatlanguage is what we popularly refer today referto as, the Nigerian Pidgin. Its scope has grownbeyond the initial urban centralism toencompass the whole nooks and crannies ofNigeria.

The Relationship between NationalLanguage and National Development The major function of language in nationaldevelopment is basically to facilitatecommunication among its citizens and to co-ordinate their joint efforts and actions towardstheir nation’s desired goals and objectives.According to Ike (1998), a common languageis needed to develop a country. He argues thatlanguage is always the vehicle for theattainment of national goals. We in Nigerianeed the Nigerian Pidgin English as ournational language. We need it to initiate andmake joint actions possible. We need theNigerian Pidgin English to create awarenessamong our people, to reorientate andharmonize our values towards a nationalobjective. There could be no other effectiveway to achieve these, for with the NigerianPidgin English as our national language, weinform, persuade, explain, discuss, negotiate,debate and finally agree.

There is indeed a close relationshipbetween a national language which a nation isidentified with and the National Development

of that nation. Infact taking into considerationthe importance of language generally, nocountry, no matter how powerful, can exist orsurvive, let alone develop, without a commonlyused language which invariably, may be thenational language of that country.

Without a common language, a countrysoon lacks social and political cohesion toidentify and set common or national goals andobjectives which form the bedrock of nationaldevelopment in that country. Without acommon language a country soon degeneratesinto a collection of mere tribal or ethnicenclaves each of which is wont to pursue itsown selfish interests at the expense of otherswhich could lead to a breakdown of law andorder among the various tribes and eventuallyculminate into chaos, anarchy and degenerationof the various linguistic entities making up thecountry.

At this juncture, it should be stressedthat any country without a commonly usedlanguage as her national language, risks generalinsecurity arising from suspicion, distrust andlack of faith among the citizens. Again Ike(1998) rightly concludes that a commonlanguage is a sine-qua-non for nationaldevelopment and national cohesion (29).

A commonly used language canfacilitate national development in a country.This is because when there is oneness inlanguage, there would be less suspicion onindividual and ethnic basis. Ike (1998) notesthat it is natural to be suspicious of those whospeak differently from us, and to feel at homewith those whose language is like our own(26). With the Nigerian Pidgin English as ournational language, there will be less suspicion;there will be fewer rancors and thus peace andtranquility without which national developmentwould be a far cry in Nigeria. With theNigerian Pidgin English as our nationallanguage, the communicative needs of ourcountry Nigeria, which is primary to NationalDevelopment, will be easily met. It will alsofacilitate the meeting of minds of Nigerians on

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issues affecting our common destiny. It willalso facilitate the relay of Federal GovernmentPolicies to the masses in Nigeria, who in turnwould find no problem in interpreting andimplementing same at their levels. TheNigerian Pidgin English as our nationallanguage will facilitate free use of language atevery level of human interaction in Nigeria beit ordinary conversation, public speeches,lectures, rallies or even inter groupcommunications. With the Nigerian PidginEnglish as our national language, the hinterland (or rural areas) will no longer feel distraitor made to feel as if they are not part ofNigeria.

On the other hand, when a commonlyused language is not recognized as a nationallanguage in a country, national developmentwill be impeded. This is because they will befighting for recognition and use from thedifferent tribes and languages in that country.This may even lead to wanton destruction oflives and property. This, incidentally, has beena major constraint on national development. InNigeria, suspicion at every level in the societyis prevalent. This is because we do not haveoneness in language and basically we have nonational language to call our own. As statedearlier, it is natural to be suspicious of thosewho speak differently from us and to feel athome with those whose language is like ourown or who speak the same language with us.

The Case for the Nigerian Pidgin in thePolitical, Economic, Social and CulturalDevelopment of NigeriaNigeria since independence has been engulfedin what one might call politics of lingua franca.The amalgamation of 1914, which broughtdifferent ethnic entities together, each speakinga different language, is perhaps solely to blame.This singular act gave Nigeria well over 400indigenous languages each of which isdissimilar to the other. The problem today iswhich of the over 400 languages should beadopted as Nigeria’s National Language.

Many speeches have been made on thisissue, many papers and books written on thedesirability and dire need for a nationallanguage. The solution to the problem mayappear elusive but the solution is right beforeus in form of the Nigerian Pidgin English. Thisis because it fulfils two out of the threeconditions, as mentioned by Elugbe inBamgbose et al (1995), laid down for alanguage to be called national in Nigeria. Thethird condition obviously lies in the hand of thefederal government of Nigeria.

National development refers, amongother things, to the growth of a country interms of unity, education, economic well beingand mass participation in government. Thenational policy on education (NPE)promulgated by the federal government ofNigeria in 1977, revised in 1981 and 2004,contains a definite statement on the role oflanguage in education. Section 3:15(4) of thatdocument, states categorically that thelanguage of instruction in the primary schoolshould be initially the child’s mother-tongue orthe language of the child’s immediatecommunity. It therefore follows that NigerianPidgin English can be used in teaching manyNigerians where many local languages wouldhave been inadequate. This would remove thepsychological shock which pupils experiencewhen they leave home and encounter a newlanguage, which they do not speak andunderstand very well or which they have notbefore hand made contact with at all. It is also amatter of common sense that a child oranybody for that matter learns better whentaught or is being taught in a language he orshe understands very well. Therefore ourlanguage policy ought logically to lead to thedevelopment of Nigerian Pidgin English foruse as official medium for teaching in ourschools since nearly all Nigerians haveknowledge of it before going to school.

Recognition and development ofNigerian Pidgin English would also greatlyreduce the cost of implementing the language

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provisions of our educational policy becauseNigerian Pidgin English is a dominantlanguage in very many cities and communitiesacross many states in Nigeria today.

Once we accept that education is part, ifnot indeed, the corner stone of nationaldevelopment in Nigeria, it will then be obviousthat Nigeria Pidgin English must be developedand promoted if we must establish oureducational system on a surer footing. Whenwe make it possible for our children to learnthe basic disciplines relevant to moderntechnology in Nigerian Pidgin English, then theseed to transferred technology as Ike (1998)puts it, will not fall on barren ground nor fail togerminate (44).

Mass literacy campaigns are on inNigeria, on papers, television stations and ofcourse radio stations. The quickest and easiestway to make the majority of Nigerians literateis through the Nigerian Pidgin English. One ofthe advantages of mass literacy is thatgovernment will reach the people moreeffectively. For example a campaign gearedtowards warning and alerting people on fakedrugs in Nigeria, should and can be carried outin Nigerian Pidgin English. This is becausemessages in Nigerian Pidgin English reachNigerians faster than English language.

In terms of mass participation ingovernment, there is a good case fordeveloping Nigerian Pidgin English.Democracy, which is our goal, cannot trulyexist when active participation at the levels ofpolicy-making and execution is almostexclusive to the elitist group of the populacewho enjoy the privilege of relative ease in theuse of English language, which is the officiallanguage of Nigeria. Amayo (1983) andBamgbose (1983) both agree in Ofoegbu(2005) that trying to make the masses see theissues in an election is meaningless where thepeople cannot be reached in a language theyare familiar with and can communicate in withrelative ease. The Nigerian pidgin English hasagain risen up to this occasion. Today in

Nigeria, political campaigns, governmentpolicies and information etc are carried outeffectively in the Nigerian Pidgin English. In achieving true participation in Nigeria,therefore, more attention should be paid to therole of the Nigerian Pidgin English indeveloping our country, Nigeria.

With the Nigerian Pidgin English as ournational language, we can develop our nationgreatly. First of all, government policies will berelayed to the people who in turn will adherestrictly to what is being said or done.Many programmes today are now carried out inNigeria Pidgin English and this has helped tocreate awareness among Nigerians. Even ourcultural values are not left out. Cultures inNigeria today are also being promoted with theNigerian Pidgin English. President OlusegunObasanjo, a former president of Nigeria, whenin office, is known to have used the NigerianPidgin English outside the shores of Nigeria.This is always the case when he meets with theNigerian community in any country. This isalso a promotion of our Nigerian PidginEnglish. Where he was supposed to have usedvery many Nigerian languages, he used theNigerian Pidgin English.

In terms of economic development, itcan be rightly said that finance houses such asbanks, insurance and mortgagee houses nowemploy Nigerian Pidgin English in theirmarketing strategies. When elevated to thestatus of national language in Nigeria, theNigerian pidgin English will help thesefinancial houses to carry out their businesseseffectively. This is because the common manwill now know how to save or withdraw moneyeven without going to school. Industries can aswell market their products because when theyuse the Nigerian Pidgin English, their productsand adverts will reach the grassroots. It isworthy to note here that most adverts for goodsand services have been effectively distributedbecause the Nigerian Pidgin English has beenused to achieve the aim.

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One of the advantages of developing theNigerian Pidgin English and elevating it to anational language in Nigeria is that nobody willbe left out of the developmental process inNigeria. When this is so, no ethnic group willfeel left out in the scheme of things in Nigeria,trust will reign and everybody will worktowards the betterment of our country. Peace,justice, equity and fair play will reign becauseeverybody in Nigeria use and understand theNigerian Pidgin English. With the elevation ofthe Nigerian Pidgin English as our nationallanguage, the story of the tower of Babel beforethe Lord confounded their language asmentioned in Ike (1998:25), will be a reality inNigeria. That is national developments will bevisible in Nigeria and Nigeria will join theleague of developed nations of the world.

The case for Nigerian Pidgin English inthe development of Nigeria has been very wellstated and so requires no further flogging. Buteven so the point has to be made thatdeveloping Nigerian Pidgin English andelevating it to our national language does notmean abandoning English language. While ournational language for national developmentshould be Nigerian Pidgin English, Englishlanguage should serve for the moment, amedium of instructions in schools and ourlanguage of international relations.

ConclusionThis paper proposes the Nigerian Pidgin as abetter option to be our national languagebecause of the priceless potentials it has indeveloping our country politically,economically, socially and culturally. Thispaper also exposes those priceless potentialsthat make it stand high above the indigenouslanguages including the major languages, andEnglish language as a national language andbedrock of national development. This papertakes its stand that unless Nigeria is able toadopt the Nigerian Pidgin for use as hernational language, which will bring nationaldevelopments, and ensure her national identity,

she cannot claim to be truely free orindependent. If Tanzania has been able tochoose one language, Swahili, as her nationallanguage, there is no reason, why Nigeria, thegiant of Africa and the most populous blacknation in the world, cannot do the same.Idiomatically speaking, where there is a will,there is a way.

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E. Olumuji; E. S. Asemah & L. O. Edegoh, (2013); Citizen Journalism and Credibility:A Study of Saharareporters.com, ANSU Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 1 (3):1-13

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