Language and education experts have called for the immediate reversal of the cancellation of the mother tongue education policy, arguing that indigenous languages in schools are vital for national growth.
During a seminar in Ibadan on Wednesday, scholars warned that abandoning local languages as a medium of instruction harms the intellectual development of Nigerian students. The University of Ibadan Senior Staff Club hosted the event, titled: “Education in the Mother Tongue in Nigeria: To Be or Not to Be?”
Role of Indigenous Languages in Schools
Prof. Francis Egbokhare, of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages at the University of Ibadan, argued that local dialects are not relics. He described them as essential tools for a “culturally coherent, technologically advanced and globally competitive future.”
According to Egbokhare, protecting and modernising the country’s linguistic diversity in Nigeria is an investment in the nation’s soul.
“Research had consistently shown that children learn faster, participate more actively and develop stronger confidence when taught in their first language,” the Linguist said.
Egbokhare criticised policy shifts, noting that the mother tongue education policy is a proven driver of student success. He urged the government to reconsider any Nigerian education reform that undermines the use of local dialects in the classroom.
Breaking the Colonial Cycle in Nigerian Education Reform
Prof. Clement Kolawole, Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, highlighted the psychological benefits of native instruction. He noted that children naturally think, dream, and solve problems in their first language.
He traced the current obsession with English-only instruction back to colonial roots—a trend that has consistently weakened indigenous languages.
“Many countries with high literacy levels, including Germany and Japan, have sustained education through their native languages,” he said.
Kolawole suggested that Nigeria could reach scientific self-reliance by building a system based on indigenous languages, while keeping English as a second language for global engagement.
Challenges Facing Mother Tongue Education Policy
While the benefits are clear, implementation remains a hurdle. Mrs Bamidele Oyinloye, Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Education, agreed that children learn more effectively in a language they understand. However, she pointed to the practical realities of managing linguistic diversity in Nigeria.
Oyinloye acknowledged challenges such as “multilingual classrooms, shortage of trained teachers and inadequate learning materials in local languages.”
For any Nigerian education reform to succeed, she called for reforms and deliberate investment in curriculum materials to make the policy workable.
A Call for Cultural Identity and Development
The event chairman and Yoruba linguist, Prof. Durotoye Adeleke, concluded that indigenous languages in schools remain critical to national development. He argued that effective learning cannot happen when a student’s primary language is ignored.
Participants at the seminar urged policymakers to strengthen implementation frameworks rather than abandon the policy entirely.
