By Dr Muhammad Sajo
A Professor of Linguistics, with Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, UDUS, Dahiru Argungu has called on the federal government of Nigeria to restructure linguistics to protect indigenous languages.
He gave the charge while presenting the 23rd Inaugural Lecture in the series of similar events of the University on Thursday.
According to the scholar, “there is the need for linguistic restructuring by the federal government of Nigeria so that indigenous languages could be more protected and developed.”
Prof. Argungu emphasised that “linguistic restructuring helps local language speakers to preserve their identities and cultures, which they hope to pass on to other generations.”
The Don also stressed the privileges of the Hausa language, especially based on its national and international spread and usage, not only by its native speakers but others interactions, including in the media and in Islamic and Christian religious communications.
Discussing the prospects of the Hausa language, the scholar traced the history of its Ajami writing system during pre-colonial Nigeria when Hausa speakers created orthography from Arabic characters.
According to him, they used it in writing for religious and mundane purposes.
The lecture was attended by some members of the 1969 Chapter of Nagarta Old Boys Association, Sokoto led by the Chairman, Sani Musa and the Chairman, Sokoto State Teachers Service Board, Garba Yabo, who are classmates of the inaugurator.
The Vice-Chancellor of UDUS, Prof. Lawal Bilbis was represented on the occasion by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Prof. Ibrahim Magawata.
Deans, directors, heads of departments, members of the University’s Senate, as well as Head of Department of English Language and Linguistics, Sokoto State University, Dr Fadare Nureni and students, also attended the lecture.
