smartmom: I am shocked to hear 'modern' parents ([s]who I assumed were free from colonial brainwashing[/s]) say that we dont need to preserve our indigenous languages by teaching our kids 1st at home.

TheCongo:

You say that "modern" parents are free from colonial brainwashing.
But, you seem to forget the English language still rules Nigeria.
And, this is a residual effect of colonization. So, no one is truly Free from colonial brainwashing.

Your options are:

1 - You should blame the Nigeria constitution and NOT the parents who speak to their children in English.
English is the Official Language of Nigeria. If a Nigerian doesn't know how to speak English properly, he has no future in Nigeria. He may move to The Congo where we will gladly teach him French which is another colonial language

2 - If you can't change the Nigeria constitution, then don't blame the parents who speak to their children in English.

OCTAVO:

I entirely disagree with the bolded!

Siena: @ Smartmom, there are no right or wrong ways to bring up our children. Every parent will bring up their children the way they deem fit. It's got nothing to do with "colonial brainwashing", as you put it.

Right now, it appears you have a dim view of parents who prefer to bring up their children with English as a first language. Sneering at such parents isn't nice, it gives the impression you're looking to force your opinion down the throats of parents who don't subscribe to your view.

Sure, some people can't speak their native language fluently, but I'm yet to see this having any adverse effect on these people, minors or adults.

My parents spoke English to myself and my siblings when we were growing up, and that's the same way we're bringing up our own kids. It works for us, it may not work for you, and that's good too.

Everyone has a choice, and these choices are not to be sneered at or ridiculed.

smartmom:

@TheCongo, learning to speak your language does not prevent you from speaking or writing English very fluently! Noting wrong with speaking English be it in Nigeria or outside Nigeria but please dont throw your own language away.

Siena:

That's where you're wrong. English is our first language, our native languages come second.

smartmom: I am shocked to hear 'modern' parents ([s]who I assumed were free from colonial brainwashing[/s]) say that we dont need to preserve our indigenous languages by teaching our kids 1st at home. It is no wonder a large number of our youngsters simply do not speak our local languages or if they do, so badly that I shudder to think what they will teach their own kids when our generation passes on!

It may seem 'cool' to some that their kids learn to speak English before attempting their local language but honestly I have not seen any Nigerian who was at any disadvantage in speaking English because they spoke their mother tongue 1st. Not if they go to a proper school anyway.

Children have the ability to learn and speak 4 languages simultaneously so they can learn both the mother tongue and English with thesame proficiency. The real problem here is that the kids become reluctant to learn their local languange if they are made to speak English 1st simply because they think it is too much trouble for a limited audience since they wont be needing it outside the home setting.

I expected to hear the complain that parents of mixed tribal marriages would have a problem to teaching their kids 2 different languages but alas I havent even read of any such!

Please and please parents do the natural; speak your langauge in your home setting amongst yourself and encourage your kids to speak it too. Its a precious legacy not to be toyed with.

Siena: @ Smartmom, there are no right or wrong ways to bring up our children. Every parent will bring up their children the way they deem fit. It's got nothing to do with "colonial brainwashing", as you put it.

Right now, it appears you have a dim view of parents who prefer to bring up their children with English as a first language. Sneering at such parents isn't nice, it gives the impression you're looking to force your opinion down the throats of parents who don't subscribe to your view.

Sure, some people can't speak their native language fluently, but I'm yet to see this having any adverse effect on these people, minors or adults.

My parents spoke English to myself and my siblings when we were growing up, and that's the same way we're bringing up our own kids. It works for us, it may not work for you, and that's good too.

Everyone has a choice, and these choices are not to be sneered at or ridiculed.

nony30: Micheal Jackson never achieved Į̸̸̨ƭ with his fame,bleaching and surgery....I guess ‎u won't achieve the white man status by throwing away ur cultural heritage while speaking dictionary english cos ‎u will have •̸№ roots τ̲̅ȍ run τ̲̅ȍ when d chips r down.

nony30: God forbid!!!English can never be my first language.could Ɣ☺ΰя ancestors speak english before the coming of the white man?Could Ɣ☺ΰя ancestors write in english before the coming of western education?Tomorrow now ‎u will say the suit should be our native attirePls don't go any further in dis direction ‎u are facing....its a dead end!!!

Siena:

You're not reading things through, or if you are, you're not comprehending.

What is the correlation between Michael Jackson's (RIP) bleaching, surgery and a decision to bring one's children up with English or native language as a first language? You're not making any sense here.

As for sticking to cultural heritage, that's fine, it's your choice. Does this include ditching every Western influence? Like phones, automobile, electricity etc? I realise this is digressing, but I'm going along with your totally unrelated Michael Jackson analogy, and I'm curious as to where your argument's heading.

My choice is to bring up my children speaking English, first and foremost, same as my own parents did with myself and my siblings. My business, not yours. You're obviously free to bring up your children (if you've got any) with your native language, first and foremost. Your business, not mine.

ifihearam: but how do they learn your language parents are of two different tribes?

ifihearam: but how do they learn your language parents are of two different tribes?

stevebond007: Its so bad. The english they speak most of the time are filled with grammatical errors. Look @ d likes of Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, pple seasoned with their native tongue, now doin exploit with d English lang. Some parents have gotten it WRONG.

Originalsly: Is there any special importance attached to teaching a child English in Nigeria? Yes.It is the official language pf Nigeria. If your child does not know English then his travels,education,job opportunities,finding a wife,using the internet and friends will all be limited to local areas where his language is spoken....and this is only within Nigeria....how would he ever become a part of the global community?...like us here on Nairaland? However, I strongly believe that the first language a baby should learn is the native language/s of his parents. He will learn English when he starts schooling.It is more important to pass on your culture.On the Elites...too many show their inferiority complex by speaking English in these fake accents...they make me sick.China...many languages...common one Mandarin. India...many languages...common one...Urdu. Nigeria...many languages...common one English.Poof!