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Education, Language and Sociology Research 
ISSN 2690-3644 (Print) ISSN 2690-3652 (Online) 

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2020 
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6 
 

Original Paper 

An Investigation into the Attitudes and Practices of Nigerian 

Students towards the Use of English Language and Their Native 

Languages in a Culturally Diverse Society 

John Peter Wappa1* 
1 Department of English Language Education, College of Continuing Education, Adamawa State 

Polytechnic, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria 
* John Peter Wappa, Department of English Language Education, College of Continuing Education, 

Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria 

 

Received: March 25, 2020      Accepted: April 8, 2020     Online Published: April 13, 2020 

doi:10.22158/elsr.v1n1p6         URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/elsr.v1n1p6 

 

Abstract  

The study investigated the attitudes and practices of Nigerian students towards the use languages 

(English and native) in a culturally diverse society as the native languages are endangered because the 

English language is taking over the world linguistic environment as a lingua franca. Ten students who 

speak different Nigerian native languages were selected randomly from an international university 

(pseudonym) in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). A qualitative research method was 

adopted for the study using multiple sources of data collection, which include unstructured interview, 

personal stories, field notes and informal chats. The findings indicated that they acquired their native 

languages from birth at home, while they learn additional languages in their environment. They have 

positive attitudes towards the native languages, indicated by the value accorded them while English 

enjoys its official position. It was found out that the native languages were used for solidarity, prayers, 

identity and heritage preservation, whereas English language pertains the status of official language. 

In summary, Nigerian students studying in a culturally diverse context aim at preserving their 

language, culture, and identity by using it in their daily lives while they prefer using English language 

only for official purposes. 

Keywords 

attitudes, practices, native languages, language use, Nigerian students, culturally diverse society 

 

 



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1. Introduction 

Nigeria is the most popular black nation in the world and the most populous country in Africa; it is 

highly a multilingual and multicultural society with over 500 indigenous languages (Ginsburgh & 

Weber, 2011). English is Nigeria’s official language while French is considered as a foreign language. 

The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria identified Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba as major 

indigenous Nigerian languages, while others are classified as minority languages. Politics, geographical 

spread and numerical strength contributed to such language grouping. It is a fact that many minority 

languages in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world are at high risk of extinction in the near future, as they 

are endangered because of persistent changes and/or increases in socio-economic and political 

developments that fail to provide a level playing ground for minority languages to compete favourably 

with other languages (Adegbite, 2003; Igboanusi, 2008; Akande & Salami, 2010; Borghetti & Beaven, 

2017; Yee & Chan, 2018). 

Language is of critical significance to the existence of man. It contributes exceptionally to learning, 

creative thinking and social change (Ejieh, 2004). One crucial thing in a multilingual society is the 

choice of language use. This was the situation in Nigeria after independence, choosing language for 

educational use was a problem. Lastly, the language of the colonial masters was adopted for education 

as well as for other official uses. However, for the junior primary education, the medium of instruction 

was initially the mother tongue or the language of the immediate environment as stated by the National 

Policy on Education (Federal Ministry of Education, 1977; Adegbite, 2003), but it is hardly adhered to 

especially in the urban areas and most especially the private schools.  

People’s attitudes could be negatively or positively directed towards language or the speakers of the 

language. Therefore, the change in attitudes is vital and unavoidable chunk of any pedagogical 

initiative. Having attitudes towards language or its behaviour can be associated with social meanings 

related to social models in a particular speech community where language is a symbol of identity for 

the people (Akande & Salami, 2010). Eagly and Chaiken (1993, p. 1) defined attitude as “a 

psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour 

or disfavour”. Language practices and policies within African countries are often at odds. The language 

people use in their everyday practices is mostly far apart from the planned constructs of the state 

(Pennycook, 2013).  

The study covers the attitudes and practices of Nigerian students at an international university 

(pseudonym) in TRNC towards language use in a culturally and linguistically diverse society, 

considering the endangered nature of the local languages. The results of this study will therefore add 

significantly to the existing knowledge in the field of sociolinguistics and straightening of cultural 

identity of the people as well as maintain their heritage languages. More so, Cultural and linguistic 

diversity promote and improve inter-group and inter-cultural relationships communication. Therefore, 

the speaking of native languages constantly helps in reserving the language, the culture, the identity 

and be a source of solidarity for the indigenous people, keeping such languages out of danger of 



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extinction. It is based on this that the native languages receive higher positive attitudes above the 

English language, though it plays significant roles especially in the area of education and economic 

growth of a community as well as for international communication. 

1.1 Attitudes towards Language Use 

Attitudes are predisposition to react favourably or unfavourably towards a given object. Therefore, 

attitudes towards a language are considered by people as partly connected to some sort of prejudices, 

which can be controlled to some degree through critical self-reflection, personality profile, linguistic 

background and general socio-biographical variables. Language attitudes encompasses the beliefs, 

preferences and desires of individuals and groups about language. It therefore determines what an 

individual sees, hears, and thinks as well as do because it influences behaviour. Attitudes towards 

language use depends to an extend on social hierarchies that are obtainable within a certain community 

or geographical area (Nolan, 2013; Dewaele & McCloskey, 2015; Javid, Farooq, Umar, & Gulzar, 

2017; Sardegna, Lee, & Kusey, 2018). Attitudes change because of social and political perceptions and 

some intrinsic linguistic features of the language (Holmes, 2013).  

The study of language attitudes is done from three main approaches: the analysis of the societal 

treatment of the language varieties. This is the cognitive components, which show people’s beliefs and 

behavioural purposes present in communications. Another approach is the direct measure approach, 

ordinarily referred to as evaluative components. This is more popular in applied linguistics because it 

stimulates language attitudes through making direct questions about language evaluation and 

preferences. Then, the indirect approach, which is more concerned with conscious awareness; 

considered as behavioural components (McKenzie, 2010; Javid, Farooq, Umar, & Gulzar, 2017; 

Lasagabaster, 2017; Nolan, 2013). Terms such as language shift, language policy, the survival of the 

minority languages, the shift or loss of a language, and language maintenance in sociolinguistics are 

linked to attitudes in language use (Wilson, Ward, & Fisher, 2013; Kuyumcu, 2014; Dewaele & 

McCloskey, 2015). 

The choice of language use is influenced by different factors especially in the case of multilingual 

speakers. Some factors, which can account for such choice according to Bichani (2015), include the 

domains of usage, which have to do with factors that language is designed to play a certain function or 

has to fill a particular space and be used by certain people in the society. Therefore, such domains 

could be family domains, religious domains or work domains. Interlocutors, their ethnic groups, their 

relationship, their age, their gender as well as topic of discussion are determining factors for choice of 

language use as some discussions are better handled or done in some languages (Holmes, 2013) 

especially in multilingual societal contexts.  

1.2 Multilingual Language Practice  

Multilingual children at their early age are able to develop sensitivity to the language used by different 

interlocutors. The context of discourse and language dominance in the community are some factors 

which may mediate the degree of language differentiation in preschool age children. Cultural frame 



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exists for people who have assumed two cultures, and for them, priming leads to different cultural 

frames of reference, but it is only for those people who have internalised the norms of that identity. A 

social practice perspective of language use denotes approaching multilingualism in terms of linguistic 

repertoires for communicative resources. The link between language and identity gives a means of 

membership. Traditionally, language and identity study focus mainly on how individuals or groups 

maintain, negotiate, construct or project their social identities through linguistic practices. Identities are 

multiple, fluid and culturally constructed but not fixed and sometimes aligned with such as ethnicity, 

gender, and occupation (Kuyumcu, 2014; Lillo-Martin, Quadrons, Pichler, & Fieldsteel, 2014; Clist & 

Verschoor, 2017). 

English is spreading as a lingua franca according to Steyaert, Ostendorp and Gaibrois (2011), therefore, 

its linguistic globalisation is as a result of it been considered as favourable, critical and ambivalent. Its 

dominance is given on the fact that it is an efficient means by which the speakers from different 

linguistic backgrounds are connected. The adoption of English as a lingua franca is on the ground that 

it is a common language and is considered as language of international communication. 

In recent studies, the “imagined communities” construction aided in understanding L2 and identity 

relationship, Norton and Pavlenko (2019) believe that such can affect students’ trajectories as well as 

influence their agency, investment, motivation and resistance as well in the learning of English 

language. Australian children of India descent in their linguistic practices and choices study Hindi in 

their primary education. They chose to speak their mother tongue despite the chances to speak English. 

Those born in Australia maintained their language in the home, as some of them have strong religious 

royalties and favour their languages too—Nepalese and Punjabi. The non-working mothers and the 

grandparents made the language maintenance possible at home says Bissoonauth (2018).  

Meanwhile, Mohr (2018) studied the changing dynamics of language use attitudes by the Tanzanians 

towards the English language. The investigation showed the people’s attitudes towards English was 

positive, as they no longer consider it as the language of the elites only. In the case of Malawi, her 

policy used to encourage the use of mother tongue because it is endangered, controversy came in with 

the implementation of English as a language to be used in the country’s universities. The students and 

the staff display positive attitudes for multilingual language skills (Reilly, 2019). Meanwhile, Nguyen 

and Hamid (2018) see bilingualism as a resource in the case of Vietnamese ethnic minority students’ 

attitudes towards informal and formal language policies in different domains such as the church, school, 

ethnic community as well as towards their individual bilingualism.  

English on the other hand is considered as language of business as in the language ideologies explored 

in two European corporate contexts by Cogo and Yanaprasart (2018). They explored the ideologies of 

multilingualism and English, which dominated the workplace as well as the official and unofficial 

corporate adopted policies. English is considered as a fixed language of business and it is unquestioned.  

This study is tilted towards multilinguals’ language use aimed at investigating the attitudes and 

practices of Nigerian students at a university in TRNC towards English language and their native 



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languages. No record of such study existed to the best of my knowledge. In order to achieve its aim and 

objectives, the study tries to answer the following formulated research questions. 1) How do the 

Nigerian students acquire languages? 2) What are the Nigerian students’ attitudes towards their native 

languages? 3) What are the Nigerian students’ attitudes towards English language? 4) What are the 

Nigerian students’ practices towards their native language use? and 5) What are the Nigerian students’ 

practices towards English language use? 

 

2. Methods 

2.1 Participants 

The research used ten participants, which is within the range suggested by Creswell (1988). The 

Nigerian graduate students are studying various courses in different departments at an international 

university (pseudonym) in TRNC, and each of them has spent two or more semesters on the Island. 

These people communicate with people of different nationalities in the university, as it is a multilingual 

and multicultural environment. The participants are from different Nigerian geo-political zones. Four 

females and six males participated as summarized in the demographic Table 1 below. The names are 

common Nigerian names used as pseudonyms for the seek anonymity. 

 

Table 1. Participants’ Demographic Information 

P
ar

ti
ci

p
an

ts
 

G
en

d
er

 

A
ge

 

N
at

iv
e 

L
an

gu
ag

e 

L
1 

D
oc

u
m

en
ta

ti
on

 
of

 

N
at

iv
e 

L
an

gu
ag

e 

F
lu

en
t 

in
 

N
at

iv
e 

L
an

gu
ag

e 
L

it
er

ac
y 

in
 N

at
iv

e 

L
an

gu
ag

e 

N
ig

er
ia

n
 l

an
gu

ag
es

 

fl
u

en
t 

in
 

N
ig

er
ia

n
 

la
ng

ua
ge

 

L
it

er
at

e 
in

 
Audu Male 42 Fulfulde Fulfulde Yes Yes Yes Hausa & 

Fulfulde 

Hausa & 

Fulfulde 

Ken Male 55 Ibibio Ibibio Yes Yes Yes Ibibio & 

Yoruba 

Ibibio 

Yinka Male 35 Yoruba Yoruba Yes Yes Yes Yoruba & 

Hausa 

Yoruba & 

Hausa 

Joshua Male 28 Kaka Hausa No Yes No Kaka, 

Hausa & 

Fulfulde 

Hausa 

Nneka Female 35 Igbo Igbo Yes Yes Yes Igbo Igbo 

Salau Male 27 Hausa Hausa Yes Yes yes Hausa Hausa 

Hannatu Female 43 Kuteb Jukun Yes Yes No Kuteb, 

Jukun& 

Jukun& 

Hausa 



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Hausa 

Pam Females 38 Berom Berom Yes Yes Yes Berom& 

Hausa 

Berom& 

Hausa 

Zainab Female 50 Babər Babər Yes Yes No Babər& 

Hausa 

Hausa 

Daniel Male 31 Banso Banso No Yes No Banso, 

Fulfulde, 

Igbo & 

Hausa 

Hausa 

Source: Fieldwork (2019). 

 

The demographic table shows all the participants are within the age range of 27 to 55 years, speaking 

different languages. 3 out of the 10 participants are native speakers of the three major Nigerian 

languages of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, while the remaining 7 are drawn from the so-called minority 

languages. All the participants’ L1 are documented except Banso and Kaka; all the participants can 

speak their native languages to some extent; some may not be very fluent as gathered from informal 

chats but can communicate. Meanwhile, four of the participants are not literate in their native 

languages but all are literate in at least one major Nigerian language. In addition, all except two can 

speak their native languages only but all other participants speak two or more Nigerian languages. 

2.2 Procedures 

Qualitative research method was employed using content analysis to study the participants’ attitudes 

and practices towards language use. It is aimed at getting detailed perspectives of their experiences 

from the interview, making the research more real, because it generates objective data (King, Keohane, 

& Verba, 1994; Zhang & Creswell, 2013; Bernstein, Kilinc, Deeg, Marley, Farrand, & Kelley, 2018).  

2.3 Instruments 

In collecting the data for the study, multiple sources were used for the data gathering, which include 

unstructured interview and personal stories aimed at probing deeper into participants’ experiences and 

perceptions as they are unique and rich sources of information (Kvale, 1996; Pavlenko, 2001; 

Barkhuizen, Benson, & Chik, 2014). In addition, informal chats and field notes were employed because 

they offer extensive local knowledge and emerging sensitivity (Emerson, Frez, & Shaw, 2001). They 

aid in triangulation, and extraction of information from the participants’ on their attitudes and practices 

towards their language use. Participants were informed before recording the interview; and were made 

aware that their identity would be protected. They also signed the consent forms. The interview lasted 

between 6-11 minutes for each interviewee. 

 

 

 



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3. Results and Discussion  

The findings were discussed under different themes showing their attitudes towards a language to 

determine their practice of language usage. While they are so concerned about their identity and 

culture, which are hidden in their native language, the English language gives them global view. 

3.1 Language Acquisition and Learning 

The participants’ responses displayed how they acquire and learn language(s) as requested by question 

one. The participants acquired their native languages as their L1 at home from their parents and their 

siblings. As stated in a discussion with Zainab, she said to have acquired her L1 from birth with the 

help of her parents, especially her father, who always insisted that his children speak their native 

language. She says, “I learned Babər at home from my parents. Our father was very strict when it 

comes to speaking our native language. So, everyone had to learn it because it is our identity”. It is 

more than just a native language for them but an identity and most participants are of this idea. In the 

case of Hannatu and Joshua, their native languages are different from their L1 because they acquired 

their L1 before learning their native languages as stated by Hannatu: 

I first acquired Jukun, but my native language is Kuteb. I learned it through my father and the church, 

because the church we attend, they speak Kuteb, they sing in Kuteb. When we go to our village, we 

relate with our people who speak Kuteb.  

In the case of Ken, he speaks one major Nigerian language—Yoruba in addition to his native language. 

He says, “I learned Yoruba because I lived among the Yorubas for many years”. In addition to their 

native languages, the participants have learned other languages through socialization, especially when 

they were younger, and so, acquired such languages as used by the people in the community, which 

agrees with Lillo-Martin, Quadrons, Pichler and Fieldsteel (2014) that children are able to develop 

sensitivity to different languages at early age. This is equally true of Daniel, who could speak four 

Nigerian languages, out of which two are major languages—Igbo and Hausa, while the remaining two 

are minority languages—Banso and Fulfulde. When he was asked on how he learned the languages, he 

said, “I acquired them in different communities we stayed while I was growing up with my peers”. It 

was gathered from informal chats, researcher’s field notes, as well as personal story that most of the 

participants learned extra languages as a result of peer group socialization. 

All the participants speak more than one Nigerian languages, except for Nneka and Salau, who could 

only speak their native languages-Igbo and Hausa respectively. Majority of the participants can speak 

at least one major Nigerian language and as well literate in them; this is because such languages are 

taught in schools as stated by Joshua “for Hausa language, we offered it in the high school for 6 years. 

So, that was how I become literate in it”. From the study, all the three major Nigerian languages are 

well documented (Adegbite, 2003; Akande & Salami, 2010) as against some of the minority languages. 

It can therefore be concluded that the participants acquired most of the languages from birth as they are 

spoken simultaneously in the home and the environment they live while the three major languages in 



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addition are thought in schools. This gave them an additional advantage over the minority languages. 

They get institutional support (Holmes, 2013) and by that, they suppress the minority languages. 

3.2 Attitudes towards Languages  

Language is given value based on the speakers’ attitudes towards the language and sometimes based on 

what the speakers drive from the language (see Holmes, 2013). Their attitudes towards their native 

languages and the English language was expressed based on the value they accord the languages as 

well as their preference for usage. The participants have more positive attitudes towards their native 

languages as compared to the English language. For instance, as Pam says, 

I value speaking in my native language because it’s my own language that I was born into it. So, I 

value it most. As I told you, English language is only when the need arises that I speak it. 

Based on his professional background according to Ken, his language matters a lot to him; it has 

cultural and traditional values, which is in line with Holmes (2013), and Gürsoy and Kunt (2018) that 

language and culture are much related, and are inseparable. He says, “I value my native language 

because as an anthropologist, I believe so much in culture”. They value their native languages because 

they reserve their culture and tradition. Meanwhile, Joshua sounds neutral, yet values his language 

more. He says, 

I value both. I don’t think I will say I value one. However, I will prefer talking to someone in my 

language. I think English is more or less a universal language, so, I would prefer using my native 

language in as far as everybody understands it.  

Just like Joshua, Zainab values both languages because she believes each has its purposes, that is, they 

seem to have neutral attitudes to the two languages but on the silent side, their attitudes towards their 

native languages is more positive. The participants generally accommodate English because of its 

universality, and its global relevance as it is used for universal purposes, unlike the native languages 

that have limited users. Nevertheless, majority of the participants value their native languages more 

than the English language.  

The participants have so much passion and feelings for their native languages as most of them said that 

they value their native languages more. English language is to serve a particular purpose.  One reason 

they value their native languages is that, they use it as their symbol of identity and for solidarity. They 

also want their native languages to go global like English, French and other developed world languages. 

English is used because it is given some importance because it links different interlocutors from 

different backgrounds globally (Zavala, 2018; Lasagabaster, 2017; Steyaert, Ostendrop, & Gaibrois, 

2011). English language is used for global media, technology and trade. This, the native languages 

lack. 

Concerning their attitudes as to which language they would have preferred for communication, the 

participants made their choice based on certain issues. Some believe that communicating in their 

languages will promote their languages. When they are with their tribal people, they prefer to 

communicate in their native languages because they want to promote their native languages. They see 



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their native languages and culture as unique, and need to keep them alive by speaking them. On the 

other hand, they prefer to communicate in English with those who do not understand their languages. 

The participants use English with people who are not their tribal people; largely, they generally have 

positive attitudes towards their native languages. They mainly use their native languages for 

socialization among themselves while English is for official matters and academics.  

Every language is expected to convey an intended message effectively if expressed properly. One’s 

proficiency in a language is a criterion for effectiveness in conveyance of message. Therefore, the 

participants consider their proficiency in their various languages before choosing which language to 

use for communication. They generally believe that their native languages will convey their 

information much more effective than the English language, “I believe that my native language will 

convey the message more effectively than English because there are some words and expressions in my 

native language that have no equivalence in English” says Ken.  

On the contrary, Joshua believes that English conveys his message much better. Though earlier during 

the discussion and informal chats, he admitted not to be very fluent in his native language, but still 

loves and appreciates it. Meanwhile, Zainab agrees with Joshua; she says, “English will convey my 

message effectively. I want to belief so”. Though, the participants have different feelings towards 

which language can convey their messages more effectively, majority believe their native languages 

will convey their messages more effectively because they can easily manipulate the language as against 

English language which they have to consider so many things and their proficiency level. However, 

few participants state that English conveys their message more as against the majority who belief their 

native languages convey messages better. This shows low attitudes towards English and very positive 

attitudes towards the native languages. 

3.3 Common Practices in Language Use 

Regarding their common language practices/uses, the participants use their native languages within 

their enclave, that is, with their family members, friends and members of the society that belong to the 

same language as well as any other person who understands the language (see Bichani, 2015). The 

participants generally agreed that they prefer using their native languages. Just like others, Daniel says, 

“I speak my native language in the house, during community gathering (meeting) and when I meet 

people who are of the same language with me”. They generally use their native languages with their 

close associates; invariably, as a common practice, they speak their languages more often than English, 

because they use the languages as code to cover secrete discussions. They consider the native 

languages as their heritage, their pride, and therefore, are used for solidarity, and as means of ethnic 

identity. This is in line with Akande and Salami’s (2010) that language is a people’s symbol of identity.  

The English language is their official language, which is used for academics and any official activities. 

For instance, Ken says, “I use English language in the classroom for teaching or when in the market 

with those who cannot speak my native language”. English language is an official medium of 

instructions in schools in Nigeria (Adegbite, 2003). It is a common practice that the native languages in 



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the Nigerian context are given or are reserved a place in the society for communication to reserve the 

languages, used as an identity and for solidarity, while the English language as stated by Lasagabaster 

(2017) is given importance because it occupies an official position as the country’s second language. 

The multicultural and multilingual nature of the country also tempers with the native language usage 

because if one is together with people from different linguistic backgrounds and they do not understand 

each other’s native language and do not share any Nigerian language, then, English language or 

Nigerian pidgin English is used. The official position been occupied by English gives it advantage. Just 

as Daniel says, “because of less interaction with my people, the English language is more dominant 

than my native language, and with modernity, English language is like trying to subdue our own native 

languages, sometimes even at home”. The categories of interlocutors determine the language use 

(Holmes, 2013). 

Another common practice of language usage is during the religious rites. In Nigeria, there are three 

main religions: Christianity, Islam and Traditional African religion. Each of these religions is aligned to 

a particular language. Christianity is aligned to English language, Islam to Arabic language and the 

traditional African religion to African languages. But as it is now, it cannot be said that these are the 

only languages that these religions use for worship or to teach their doctrines; may be the traditional 

African religion which the priests use the African languages for incantations. Christianity and Islam 

have developed different religious literatures in different Nigerian languages in abet to get messages 

across to their followers. The participants during discussions expressed different attitudes and practices 

towards the use of language during prayer and meditations.  

For instance, Audu recites the Qur’anic verses in Arabic and then do his meditation in his native 

language; while Salau uses his native language throughout the prayer session. He says, “I use my native 

language for prayer because that is how I can express myself better”. Zainab on the other hand reads 

her prayer in English from books but meditates in Hausa, one of the major Nigerian languages 

commonly spoken in northern Nigeria. Her issue is unique; she meditates in a different language from 

her native language, though she is fluent in it. Meanwhile, she loves her native language so much yet, 

she does not mediate in it but she uses it for communication. 

As the English language is been aligned to Christianity; some of the participants use it according to 

contexts. “Depending on the context. In most places, I use English, may be where I find myself at that 

particular moment, otherwise, I use my native language to pray. I prefer my native language,” says Ken. 

While some feel, they can express themselves better during religious exercises using English; this is for 

the fact that most church teachings are done in English. More so, some attend English church services, 

as they do not have Church services in their local languages. 

They only use English because they are not so much familiar with saying prayer in their languages. 

Joshua equally concurs, saying, “I prefer the English language because school and the church we attend 

all have influenced the use of English”. The Church therefore, has serious influence on the use of 

language as gathered from the informal chats and personal stories. The new generation Churches most 



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a times use English during Church services and most youths attend such services. Even when there are 

services in other Nigerian languages, some youths prefer the English service.  

It is understood that, there are other motives for using English in prayer, such as creating a class of 

elites or getting status. Trying to show that, they are good at speaking English and can even use it for 

prayers. Others pray in English because they are deficient in using their native languages for prayer. 

From the study, 70% of the participants use their native languages for prayers and meditation. 

 

4. Conclusion 

“Language of the group in power, became the dominating paradigm for communication with and 

within the state guaranteeing that specific groups dominating the language of the nation state formation 

could take control of the state’s governance structures” (Marácz, 2014, p. 46); this is not far from what 

happened in the selection of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba as Nigerian’s major national languages and 

English as a second language. Most Nigerian leaders come from these three tribes, especially when the 

country was at her infancy. English was able to notch a space for herself in the linguistic formation of 

Nigeria, as there was no single local language that was made the country’s official language.  

From the study, the participants acquired different languages at the early age as such languages are 

used in the environment where they might have lived for some time. The parents, the siblings and 

religion have contributed to their language acquisition and learning. The three major languages and 

lately, few minority languages, enjoy institutional support as they are taught in schools. 80% of the 

participants speak two or three different Nigerian languages, while 100% of the participants speak 

English and at least one major Nigerian language. Invariably, 100% of the participants are 

multilinguals; confirming Nigeria as a multilingual and multicultural state (Adegbite, 2003). English is 

used mainly for official purposes, therefore, experiences low attitudes while the native languages enjoy 

positive attitudes from the participants. The positive attitudes is because they consider their native 

languages as sign of identity, used for solidarity, as preservation for cultural heritage and as secret code 

for communication. Finally, about 70% of the participants in their practice use their native languages 

for prayers with the believe that God understands all languages; even though, religion has influence on 

language use. Therefore, the local languages need to be protected by documenting and teaching them in 

schools, especially in the localities as prescript by the National Policy on Education (Federal Ministry 

of Education, 1977) to avoid them going into extinction and over ran by the English language which is 

the country’s second language and language instruction in schools (Adegbite, 2003; Akande & Salami, 

2010). That is the most important means of saving the languages. 

 

 

 

 

 



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