Indigenous languages are in a serious danger of extinction unless concrete measures are taken to protect them and this is one of the reasons why ILLEC put it upon herself to write Nupe Maths & Nupe Language text books for Primary 1 to 6 each.
Also, very soon we shall start our fortnight Lectures on Indigenous Languages. We will invite some selected experts to talk to us on a specific topic. This will enhance the potential of retaining our Languages from facing the threat of endangerness.
However, I understand that Hausa and Yoruba Languages are far ahead of other Indigenous Languages in Nigeria, I therefore use this small opportunity to call on other minority Languages developers to as a matter of urgency see to it & reorganize themselves for the promotion of our God ORDAINED Indigenous Languages.
No Language of the world has ever escaped the threat of endangerness. It is the speakers of the Languages that put forth their energies to see that their Languages escape the threat of extinction.
On this vain, we call on Nigerians not to sleep over any process that makes a progress in the development of our moribund Languages.
I personally read the History of Latin Language and how other world Languages like Greek, French, Spanish, Arabic and etc suffered the threat of extinction until 5th Century when these Languages escaped from being underdeveloped.
Sībawayh is a Persian whose full name is Abu Bishr Amr ibn Uthman ibn Qanbar al-Basri was the leading grammarian of Basra and author of the earliest book on Arabic Grammar. His famous unnamed work, referred to as Al-Kitāb, or “The Book”, is a five-volume seminal discussion of the Arabic language. While Ya’rab is regarded as the Father of the Arabic Language. The justification for this is the simple fact that he is counted amongst the oldest speakers of the Arabic language. He has also written various literary notes and works in Arabic.
Dionysius Thrax was credited traditionally as the author of the first extant grammar of Greek. The notion of dividing words into discrete parts of speech is generally credited to the ancient Greek grammarian Dionysius Thrax. For a long time, the idea was pretty much universally accepted.
Among the first modern Nigerian authors was Amos Tutuola. In his magnum opus The Palm Wine Drinkard (1952) the author follows a man befuddled by palm wine in a fairy-tale atmosphere that leads him to the city of the dead. There he discovers a magical world populated by ghosts, demons and supernatural beings.
Ruwan Bagaja Hausa pronunciation: [Ruwan Bagaja] literally meaning “Water of Cure” is a debut novel written in Hausa language by Dr Abubakar Imam at the age of 22 years, He presented the book during a literature bureau competition organised by Rupert East in the year 1933 in Zaria.
Samuel Ajayi Crowther was a Yoruba linguist, clergyman, and the first African Anglican bishop of West Africa. Born in Osogun (in what is now Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, Nigeria), he and his family were captured by slave raiders when he was about twelve years old. This took place during the Yoruba civil wars, notably the Owu wars of 1821–1829, where his village Osogun was ransacked. Ajayi was later on resold to Portuguese slave dealers, where he was put on board to be transported to the New World through the Atlantic.
For the purpose of History, it is a known fact that Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the first Author of Nupe Grammar book in 1864. He has authored several Nupe books before he left Nupe Kingdom back to where he came from.
Thereafter, I am using this medium to call on our well to do figures to support this capital project that will project the study of Nupe Language in the map of the world.
May we be guard and guided aright, Amin!
*Adamu Idris Manarakis niw,is an Honourary Professor of Nupe Language
