Language Research

3. Language issues: Where does one observe language to be a problem in the country?

The diverse ethnic backgrounds of the Nigerian people is the source of much confusion.

Nigeria is an area with the size of Texas in which over three hundred different languages are spoken, and in which the same number of separate cultures desperately try to retain their identity. One can only imagine the ensuing chaos.

In Nigeria, one of the most widely used markers for distinguishing ethnicity is that of language (religion being another). Nevertheless, language groups sometimes shift their distinctiveness rather than display clear boundaries. For example; Manga and Kanuri speakers in northeastern Nigeria communicate easily with one another. But in the major Kanuri city of Maiduguri, 160 kilometers south of Manga-speaking areas, Manga is considered a separate language from Kanuri. The Kanuri and Manga who live near each other see themselves as members of the same ethnic group; while others farther away do not.

In 1990, relations between ethnic groups remained a major problem in such a large and pluralistic society. The combined factors of location, language, religion, and common and differentiating customs created a strong sense of shared fate among ethnically related groups and formed a constant basis for organizing these groups into political constituencies. Thus, when political parties emerged, they represented the northern Muslim peoples, the Yoruba, and the Igbo; middle belters and others in between were often courted from several different directions.

The situation in Nigeria for all ethnic groups seems to be improving, but whether the government can act quickly enough and fairly enough to balance the many communal groups remains to be seen. If the Ibo and others continue to perceive themselves to be marginalized, they will continue to fight the State and one another for greater political power.

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