Nigeria boasts of her many and diverse cultures and languages, but steps need to be taken to preserve the most important cultural heritage of our various ethic groups otherwise we risk loosing them forever. Below is a list of endangered languages in Nigeria; how long will it be till YOUR own Language is on this list? 20 years, 30 years, 50, 100...



1) Basa-Kontagora language

Basa-Kontagora is a nearly extinct Kainji language of Nigeria. It is spoken in Mariga, Niger state, near Kontagora and the Basa homeland.
Only 10 known speakers as of 1987
Once had 30000 speakers

2) Bete language

The Bete language of Nigeria is a nearly extinct language spoken by a small minority (50 people) of the 3,000 inhabitants of Bete Town, Takum, Taraba State; its speakers have mostly shifted to Jukun Takum. It is close to Lufu.


3) Baissa Fali language

Fali is a moribund language of southern Taraba State, Nigeria. It had few speakers in 1992. It is of uncertain affiliation within the Niger–Congo language family, clearly within the Benue–Congo languages but otherwise unclassified.

4) Defaka language

*region:Rivers State, Bonny District
*200 speakers as of 2001

Ethnically, the Defaka people are distinct from the Nkoroo, but they have assimilated to Nkoroo culture to such a degree that their language seems to be the only sign of a distinct Defaka identity. Use of the Defaka language however is quickly receding in favour of the language of the Nkoroo. Nowadays, most Defaka speakers are elderly people, and even among these, Defaka is rarely spoken — the total number of Defaka speakers is at most 200 nowadays (SIL/Ethnologue 15th ed.). The decrease in use of Defaka is stronger in Nkoroo town than in the Iwoma area. All children grow up speaking Nkoroo (an Ijo language) as a first language. The next most used language among the Defaka is Igbo, owing to the political influence of the Opobo since the days of the Oil Rivers Trade. Igbo has been a language of instruction in many schools in the region and still functions as a regional trade language.

5) Kiong language

Kiong, or Kayon, is a nearly extinct Upper Cross River language of Nigeria.
100 speakers as of 2004

6) Kudu-Camo language

Kudu and Camo (Chamo) are a nearly extinct Kainji dialect cluster of Nigeria.

region: Bauchi state
42 known speakers as of 1990

7) Labir language

Labir, or Jaku, is one of the Southern Bantoid Jarawan languages of Nigeria, spoken in Bauchi State

500 speakers as of 2008
Once had 13000 speakers

8] Lere language

Lere is a nearly extinct Kainji dialect cluster of Nigeria. spoken by very few out of about 15000 people

region: Bauchi state
unknown number of speakers

9) Lufu language

The Lufu language of Nigeria is a language still spoken mostly by older adults among the Lufu people of the Takum Local Government Authority, Taraba State; its speakers have mostly shifted to Jukun. It is close to Bete.

3200 speakers as of 2006

10) Polci/Luri language

Polci (Polchi) is a Chadic dialect cluster of Nigeria. Speakers are shifting to Hausa.
The extinct Luri dialect is not well attested. Work by Bernard Caron with the last speakers shows that it is closely related to Langas dialect.

Region: Bauchi state
there were 22000 speakers in 1995

11) Njerep language

Njerep is a nearly extinct Mambiloid language of Nigeria.
Niger delta region
only 6 speakers in year 2000

12) Odut Language
Extinct
Odut is an extinct Upper Cross River language of Nigeria
region once spoken: Cross river state

13) Putai language
Putai (also known as Marghi West) is a nearly extinct Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Nigeria. The language is dying out in favor of Kanuri.

region: Borno State
50 speakers (date unknown)

14) Shau language
Shau (Sho), or Lìsháù, is a nearly extinct Kainji language of Nigeria.

Region: Bauchi state
Unknown number of speakers

15) Somyev language
Somyev (Somyewe), also known as Kila, is a nearly extinct Mambiloid language of Nigeria, spoken by a caste of blacksmiths that live among the Mambila.

18 speakers as of year 2000

16) Vono language
Vono, also known as Kiwollo (Kiballo), is a nearly extinct Kainji language of Nigeria
region: Kaduna state
number of speakers unknown
there were 500 speakers in 1973

17) Ziriya language
Ziriya (Jiriya) and Sheni are a Kainji language of Nigeria. They are geographically but perhaps not linguistically distinct.

Regions: Bauchi and kaduna state
Ethnicity: 3000


Image showing major ethno linguistic groups in Nigeria

In the next 50yrs most languages and food in Nigeria will be ectinct

Interesting, I never knew about any of these communities and their language. Nice map but I remember reading a article years ago and it mentioned that the cultural communities of Nigeria,that are in small numbers or population, their language possibly and most likely will go extinct cause their numbers are dropping and they are being absorbed by the majority tribes of Nigeria.

How about Bini language?
How many Bini can boast of know how to speak the language.
Oba and his chiefs are probably the ones left that knows how to speak the language.

When a smaller group lives close to a larger group and has constant interactions with the larger gruop, its Language may go extinct. These are known facts to linguits and anthropologists......Igbos take note

OdenigboAroli: How about Bini language?
How many Bini can boast of know how to speak the language.
Oba and his chiefs are probably the ones left that knows how to speak the language.

People in edo must still speak the bini language widely, but it's true, alot of our languages are being dropped and mostly in favor of English.

MONUMENT COMMEMORATING STUDENTS KILLED IN THE BENGALI LANGUAGE MOVEMENT

#people will value your language only as much as you value it

PRESENTLY, 21ST OF FEBRUARY IS CELEBRATED AS THE BENGALI LANGUAGE MOVEMENT DAY, WITH MONUMENTS SUCH AS THIS ONE COMMEMORATING IT.
#I was priviledged to see the joy and pride of my Bangladesh friends while in UK, when they celebrated this day

[img]http://ressurectionplayerz.biz/gif/numb.gif[/img]

Ceasar1: I'm not a fan of our cultural diversity. It has installed nothing but hatred, division, and distrust amongst Us. We can't function as one becasuse we are all different. So I don't give a damn about it's extinction! Wtcheww!

God Bless you for this...........What Benefit has cultural diversity given us ? rather than hate and division

Our mentality is what's making our languages extinct

HAUSA SHOULD BE MADE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF NIGERIA.

ok

Very interesting. You learn everyday.

MOBJECTIVE: THE BENGALI PEOPLE OF PRESENT DAY BANGLADESH ACTUALLY FOUGHT FOR THEIR OWN LANGUAGE. THEY FOUGHT, AGITATED AND MARCHED FOR IT'S USE AS AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE. FOR IT'S USE IN CURRENCY, GOVERNMENT,EDUCATION, etc; STUDENT'S EVEN DIED FIGHTING FOR THIER LANGUAGE. BUT IT PAID OFF! TODAY, BENGALI IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGES, AND IS RANKED 7TH IN THE WORLD

Yes, you're right. My Bangladeshi friends told me that story and they're always proud of the bengeli language. Good for them I'll say.

makzeze: HAUSA SHOULD BE MADE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF NIGERIA.

Wait till you have Arewa as a country.

makzeze: HAUSA SHOULD BE MADE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF NIGERIA.

Are you okay?

Ceasar1: I'm not a fan of our cultural diversity. It has installed nothing but hatred, division, and distrust amongst Us. We can't function as one becasuse we are all different. So I don't give a damn about it's extinction! Wtcheww!

what is this one saying? Are u ok?

No wonder this country is in confusion...check out so many languages.

Research shows that most Nigerian languages will be extinct in the next 50 years. This research might be quite through judging from what has been happening in Nigeria. My reasons are as follows:
1. Town syndrome- most parents never take it as a cultural priority to take their wards to their hometowns where these languages are spoken flawlessly. They prefer to raise them in towns and cities.
2. Queen's english- i often here parents telling their wards to speak queen's english. It's difficult to hear a parent telling a child to speak Oba's Yoruba, Emir's Hausa or so.
3. Conflicts. Conflict tend to seperate large communities of a lingua. As they split, they mingle wit larger groups and take up the ways of that group thereby forgetting theirs.
4. The list is endless

What are we doing to make sure does language does not go into extinction remains the question ?
Though i can't speak my dialect (Ijebu) properly but i still try my best when speaking with it

smh some yorubas i knw cant speak der language. awon yeye. if Davido omo olowo can. why shud u nt.

#looks round # yawns and went to bed... not interested

Next

I was here

Well, I don't know anything about these languages but YORUBA ROCKS.








Omo YORUBA ni mi oo, SWAGGER.

makzeze: HAUSA SHOULD BE MADE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF NIGERIA.

what is this one saying?