Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu says technology has made teaching and learning of mother language much easier.
The Minister also said it is most crucial to create more awareness on the vital role of mother indigenous languages to preserve them from going to extinction.
Adamu stated these in Abuja during the 2022 occasion of Mother Language Day jointly organised by UNESCO Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Information.
Singing of the National Anthem in Yoruba language to commence the Commemoration of The International #MotherLanguageDay, 2022 happening at the National Press Centre, Abuja. pic.twitter.com/5I9bvgADuF
— Fed Min of Info & Cu (@FMICNigeria) June 28, 2022
He emphasised on the key role mother tongue plays in sustaining Nigeria’s national unity adding that it firms part of the country’s culture.
“Technology has made teaching and learning of languages much easier is more important to create more awareness on the vital role of Mother language.“
He further made know that there are 6500 languages in the world and some of the languages disapears every two weeks, hence the importance of protecting mother tongue.
The Minister further reassured that the occasion of the Mother language Day in Nigeria will help teachers and students in the teaching and learning of languages following the theme of this Year’s event, ’Using technology for multi lingua learning.’
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information, Dr. Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, said the theme of the 2022 event is a true picture of what Nigeria stands for as it has embarked on documentation and research on endangered languages .
She identified the need for the preservation of linguistics diversity, promotion of mother tongue education, propagation of indigenous Nigeria languages amongst others , as objectives of the mother language Day in Nigeria.
The Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewel lamented that 80percent of challenges facing Nigeria emanated from languages.
Runsewe added that Nigerians are loosing their cultural values and languages.
Speaking on the importance of language, he said it is the only vehicle to convene the inner most intentions lamented distortion and challenges of translation.
