₦airaland Forum

capatainrambo:
English is a universal language. Most universal language. How many people speak your language ? Why is sn armoured tank called in your language ? What is a valve called in your language ?

That's why I said it's better to give instructions in a language more understandable than in English which lacks the right communication mechanism to some skilled people.

In China, the people learn in Chinese, same with Japan and Russia. But we have to keep adopting English when it's infact not giving the right understanding to instructions?

BlueRayDick:
His arguments are flawed.

What about Indians, Chinese and even European countries who use their own indigenous language as language of instruction, and their students/graduates still compete favorably well when placed side by side with those taught in English in the global market?

Almost 60% of indians speak Hindi, 80% of Chinese speak mandarin, about all non English speaking European countries speak one predominant language, that can't be said of Nigeria. To do what indians, Chinese etc are doing, we must break up into several countries.

Moniya4Real:
For you all who is always every ready to criticize any policy if thus government, regardless of how lofty it is. Do note that the advanced countries of Russia, Japan, China, Korea etc you mentioned do have all the science , etc textbooks written in their indigenous languages.
Has anyone ever come across any textbooks written in any Nigerian indigenous languages?

Use your brain.

WAS IT NOT HUMAN BEINGS LIKE YOU WHO SAT DOWN TO ADD SCIENTIFIC TERMS TO THEIR LANGUAGE?

WHAT STOPS YOU FROM DOING THE SAME?

WHAT STOPS NIGERIA FROM PICKING ONE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND DOING THE SAME?

NATION OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX.

ADAMUdaCOWBOY:
Almost 60% of indians speak Hindi, 80% of Chinese speak mandarin, about all non English speaking European countries speak one predominant language, that can't be said of Nigeria. To do what indians, Chinese etc are doing, we must break up into several countries.

This is nonsense.

Why haven't you broken up for speaking English?

But you will break up for speaking an indigenous African tongue? WHY?

China made Han their lingua franca many years ago. THEY also had multiple languages and ethnic groups but made Han the official language.

Nigeria has no excuse.

BlueRayDick:
His arguments are flawed.

What about Indians, Chinese and even European countries who use their own indigenous language as language of instruction, and their students/graduates still compete favorably well when placed side by side with those taught in English in the global market?

At some point, those cultures have transferability to English. To begin with, the vernacular instruction is of the highest global standards. Here, we do vernacular instruction to be lazy.

Ezzymadu:
While not find ways to formulate wazonbia
Just mix the three language to one and you will see Nigeria future language

Excellent idea.

BUT THESE PEOPLE JUST REFUSE TO THINK!!!

How can you tell me that you've been on this land for thousands of years, speaking your language, and then British invaders and plunderers seize your land for 80 years, hand it back to you, and voila! You turn PERMANENT English speakers for ever?

Really?

DISGUSTING to even imagine such a cultural capitulation.

PITIFUL.

Kemetian:
This is nonsense.

Why haven't you broken up for speaking English?

But you will break up for speaking an indigenous African tongue? WHY?

China made Han their lingua franca many years ago. THEY also had multiple languages and ethnic groups but made Han the official language.

Nigeria has no excuse.

Why haven't we broken up because of English? It united us! China made mandarin (NOT HAN!🤣🤣) their official language? So what! Up to 80% of them speak it! Can you say same of any Nigerian language??!!

Ezzymadu:
While not find ways to formulate wazonbia
Just mix the three language to one and you will see Nigeria future language

As an igbo man, will your people accept it? Will the hausas speak it? Will the Yorubas be willing to communicate with it? What about the other tribes like Tiv, Igala, Ijaw, Kanuri and the many little tribes of Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Taraba etc bear to learn a new Nigerian language that will clearly be igbo, your a and Hausa based?

VladimirTheGrea:
That's why I said it's better to give instructions in a language more understandable than in English which lacks the right communication mechanism to some skilled people.

In China, the people learn in Chinese, same with Japan and Russia. But we have to keep adopting English when it's infact not giving the right understanding to instructions?

I don’t know about you. I was thought in English and I understand everything that has to do with it. People promoting thier language . Ask them what a valve is called in thier language. Ask them what to tell you what the colour indigo or pink is called. It’s about time we do away with things holding us back and embrace the future.

BlueRayDick:
His arguments are flawed.

What about Indians, Chinese and even European countries who use their own indigenous language as language of instruction, and their students/graduates still compete favorably well when placed side by side with those taught in English in the global market?

you are getting it mixed up. Chinese teach with Chinese and write exams in Chinese. You don't teach a child in Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa and set exams in English. That will lead to language clash. The minister is very very right.

capatainrambo:
I don’t know about you. I was thought in English and I understand everything that has to do with it. People promoting thier language . Ask them what a valve is called in thier language. Ask them what to tell you what the colour indigo or pink is called. It’s about time we do away with things holding us back and embrace the future.

Where was the origin of the valve in the first place?

It was not created by fulani neither nupe, so it's very clear someone had an idea what it means

Maybe be you should put your brain to use by pioneering that since you believe it's doable. A country that is still in disunity.

Kemetian:
Use your brain.

WAS IT NOT HUMAN BEINGS LIKE YOU WHO SAT DOWN TO ADD SCIENTIFIC TERMS TO THEIR LANGUAGE?

WHAT STOPS YOU FROM DOING THE SAME?

WHAT STOPS NIGERIA FROM PICKING ONE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND DOING THE SAME?

NATION OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX.

dofman:
How does that concern you nah😀😀😀

U sure you are not on that powder ahaaa.

Ahahahaha why English, why not Arabic

Anywhere they want to stop going to school in the part of the country, let them stop. School is definitely not for them in those parts. This not a priority for a country thay have one of the worst eduction system in the world. There are better reforms that we can channel our attention to. English is the language of trade globally, not Chinese, not French, not to talk about Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo or Ibibio. Knowing to speak and write in your native language and English is a good advantage. Of what advantage is teaching students in Yoruba or Igbo to us? How does it address our current derelict education system?

BlueRayDick:
India has over 1000 languages and dialects and they have 22 official languages .

It's only mental laziness that has made us stick with English as the only official language 65 years after independence. We can decide to have 3 to 6 official languages like some other African countries do if our policy makers want to.

What you don't know is that if they want to really carry out this minister's directive, people may stop going to school in some parts of this country. You need to travel around Nigeria to understand that this directive makes no sense and won't really achieve its intended purpose.

WriterX:
It is not flawed.

I understand the point about countries like China, India, and those in Europe using their native languages for instruction, but that comparison doesn’t fit Nigeria’s situation. Those countries each have a single dominant national language—like Mandarin, Japanese, or French—while Nigeria has over 500 distinct languages and no universally accepted one that can serve as a neutral medium of instruction. Choosing just one would immediately create inequality and deepen ethnic divides.

Beyond that, languages like Chinese or Hindi have long-established written standards, rich vocabularies, and well-developed scientific and technical terms built through centuries of national investment. Most Nigerian languages simply don’t have that level of linguistic infrastructure yet, so translating complex subjects like physics, medicine, or computer science into them would be nearly impossible at this stage.

Even in India, where local languages are widely used, English remains a co-official language and is still the main medium in higher education, science, technology, and international business. In fact, much of India’s global success in areas like IT and medicine is because of its strong foundation in English.

English gives Nigerian students access to global research, education, and employment opportunities. Abandoning it now would only isolate our graduates from the international stage. The smarter and more realistic path is a bilingual approach—teaching early education in local languages for better comprehension, while maintaining English as the language of science, technology, and global communication.

In truth, countries like China and India don’t succeed because they reject English; they succeed because they’ve built strong national languages and still value English as a bridge to the rest of the world. Until Nigeria develops that kind of linguistic foundation, English remains our most practical and unifying medium of instruction.

Period. You've said it all.

Wow! What research was carried out for him to arrive at the conclusion that teaching using mother tongue is responsible for failures? This man’s mind is an enslaved one. How can this kind of character liberate the minds and intellect of the next generation?!

This is another prove not to vote for Balablue in 2027

Antiislaam:
Ahahahaha why English, why not Arabic

What is the language of your fore fathers ?

What is the language of your chosen god?

Answer , I want to check something .

dofman:
What is the language of your fore fathers ?

What is the language of your chosen god?

Answer , I want to check something .

Ahahahaha, na English nau

Oya kini language fodio, why not Arabic jare anago?

AntiisIam:
Ahahahaha, na English nau

Oya kini language fodio, why not Arabic jare anago?

So your great grand father na oyibo or French ? 😀😀

You you have been enslaved so teee u no even recognised your language and origin again ahaaa

Ti e ti finish seh

At least Usman spoke same language with original language of Islam .

Can you speak same language with your god ? 😀😀😀

dofman:
So your great grand father na oyibo or French ? 😀😀

You you have been enslaved so teee u no even recognised your language and origin again ahaaa

Ti e ti finish seh

At least Usman spoke same language with original language of Islam .

Can you speak same language with your god ? 😀😀😀

Sule se o nka lara nii that English is your official language

AntiisIam:
Sule se o nka lara nii that English is your official language

In my house , English is not my official language lobatan .
In your house what is your official language ? 😀😀

You must collect seh !😀

dofman:
In my house , English is not my official language lobatan .
In your house what is your official language ? 😀😀

You must collect seh !😀

Ahahahaha

O ti ye mi, na Libya your house dey, English no be there official language. But anago sir, na English you dey take dey write here now abi na Arabic you dey express yourself with bah?

And your brain fails to tell you picking just one language in this complex contraption won't yield any results. Now answer this; which language do you think should be picked?

Kemetian:
Use your brain.

WAS IT NOT HUMAN BEINGS LIKE YOU WHO SAT DOWN TO ADD SCIENTIFIC TERMS TO THEIR LANGUAGE?

WHAT STOPS YOU FROM DOING THE SAME?

WHAT STOPS NIGERIA FROM PICKING ONE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND DOING THE SAME?

NATION OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX.