NewStats: 3,261,153 , 8,173,208 topics. Date: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 at 11:31 AM 2tn6l

There is a language extinction crisis brewing in Nigeria. But those who should notice it are too busy chasing ephemeral things.

There are three major languages in Nigeria. While the ethnic population of those who are born to parents who speak those three languages as a mother tongue is increasing, only two of those languages are growing in of number of speakers.

The third one is actually dying. Like Latin, in fifty years, the tribe with that language will still be one of the majority ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, but their language will become a minority language.

Sadly, many of the younger generation of that ethnic group can actually speak one of the other three major languages of Nigerian origin, but not their native language.

Even more tragically, the educated elite amongst them see English as a yardstick for intelligence and sophistication, which has trickled down to their grassroots and is creating a disturbing phenomenon where they prefer European names over their native names.

And they are essentially blind to what is happening to their culture. Many of their youth find it amusing that other people cannot speak English, which means they are illiterate. And surprisingly, for a people who have taken to Western education like a fish takes to water, not much is done by then internally to codify and expand their grammar, lexis and structure.

Some of us in the Nigerian project are unaware that culture can produce money, but money cannot generate culture. Commercialism is not culture.

As Marcus Garvey said:

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."

I choose not to mention the name of this language, but UNESCO has recently and officially released a warning that the language faces a risk of extinction in twenty-five years.

Only one of the three major languages has been red-lighted by UNESCO. If you Google it, you will know the language being referred to. But no be from my mouth you go hear say emir die!

I want to help that language grow so we do not lose it. But I do not have the energy to receive insults and threats. So, let me just mind my business.

However, before I go, let me add that Yoruba elders deserve much praise in that they have been able to on their culture and language to the next generation to the extent that Yoruba is now one of the world's fastest-growing languages. It is being spoken actively in Brazil, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Sierra Leone and is an increasing feature in music, movies and television worldwide. Well done!

Reno Omokri

Gospeller. Deep Thinker. #BuhariTormentor. #TableShaker. Ruffler of the Feathers of Obidents. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Hodophile. Hollywood Magazine Humanitarian of the Year, 2019. Business Insider Influencer of the Year 2022.

https://twitter.com/renoomokri/status/1737851079151476932

Reno is not done yet

the educated elite amongst them see English as a yardstick for intelligence and sophistication, which has trickled down to their grassroots and is creating a disturbing phenomenon where they prefer European names over their native names

Reno said he won't mention the tribe. But the excerpt above has clearly done that.

No topic on politics this time?

Raskimonojendor:

LeoDeKing:

Table shaker Reno,,we already know d tribe.. Even when some of us were growing up in a small community in ilasamaja Lagos that time,,their parents go dey speak their language to them,,only to reply in other major language as quoted by Reno...




Proudly yoruba

He is still pained that his chance back to power was blocked.
I don't.take double mouthed people serious.

BELLECRACY politicians

Thanks to the millennials and the alpha generation, tiktok has popularized igbo language so much that Igbo language is now being used by whites for skits. Igbo gospel music is now every part of the globe , names like odogwu, is now known all over the globe because of nollywood...

Achebe and chinamanda has made igbo words and stories a must know over the literature world.

Igbo is already spoken in ondo and osun government houses, governor of osun and his wife are fluent igbo speakers, whole the wife of ondo governor is igbo.

Igbo worship songs are now sang in all the churches in the world

I never Heard Itishekiri been spoken anywhere

Reno tribal language is already extinct

Reno think say by sucking balls

His language go take bounce back

Man is a huge giant fool

Okwyjesus:
He is still pained that his chance back to power was blocked.
I don't.take double mouthed people serious.

BELLECRACY politicians

What you posted here is unrelated.


He said a tribe will soon go extinct. True or false.

Yoruba has already cluster to see their superiors and bitter enemies fail

.... and they keep rising


The pain

The Itsekiri language has gone extinct already all Itsekiri people have adopted pidgin English as their first language in warri, rone omokri can not even speak his own mother tongue , he thinks that fake British accent he always force to speak is the ultimate

The language Nnamdi Azikiwe wanted to force on Yorubas.. Ol0shi wanted his own language to be spoken across South just like Hausa language in North.

Yorubas better wake up.. this docile and gullible lifestyle won't do our people any good.

Okwyjesus:
He is still pained that his chance back to power was blocked.
I don't.take double mouthed people serious.

BELLECRACY politicians

Bellecaracy * like some of your Senator and House of representative member....shebi dem.don collect Jeep from Jagaban while you are here playing tribalism....

You people still haven't learned from what happened in the last few days... Continue

I was pondering on this for no reason earlier today, when they said African languages will die by 2050.
I don't think Reno is correct. When we still dey speak English with Igbo and Yoruba accent? When our languages have found their way abroad, then it will suddenly die? I trust UN,UNESCO,IMF and others to occasionally bring baseless predictions about Africa.

Is it your extinction, Reno?? The last Warri crisis pushed the Itsekiri to the brink of extinction, but it's another man's language that is his worry. My guy, no matter the number of tribal battles you start on behalf of the Yorubas online, it won't still get Tinubu to notice you.

flokii:
The language Nnamdi Azikiwe wanted to force on Yorubas.. Ol0shi wanted his own language to be spoken across South just like Hausa language in North.

Yorubas better wake up.. this docile and gullible lifestyle won't do our people any good.

After awolowo failed attempts to force it on Midwest

He failed and lost all

Igbo remain second language in south south

How Yoruba wan deal with this reality..

ing Wike and forcefully attaching themselves to south south

Even after being rejected

This pains eh ..

Raskimonojendor:
Reno is not done yet

Reno should mind his business abeg. Is he not tired of the insults from them?

The owners of the language are not complaining. He should let them be.

Those who want one Nigeria by all means should understand its self destructive agenda, some cultures must be destroyed in the process to make Nigeria one.

Meanwhile kudos to our oyo people, deh don turn Maryland and UK to yorubaland finish, even the whites in US and UK speak yoruba now

blabulu2000:


Bellecaracy * like some of your Senator and House of representative member....shebi dem.don collect Jeep from Jagaban while you are here playing tribalism....

There is no jeep from your Jagaban is from Federation .

Omoluabi16:

You should seek expert's opinion on this so you don't get complacent. Those protecting their languages know why

LeoDeKing:

What you posted here is unrelated.


He said a tribe will soon go extinct. True or false.

I follow him on twitter not minding his bitter post. I know what am saying

Okwyjesus:


There is no jeep from your Jagaban is from Federation .

Who.approved it? Your village king...,a bi?

Foolish man is not worried about his native language and culture. Well, he has abused Tinubu in the past and now praising yorubas so that Tinubu can forgive him.
Any written and recorded language can never go into extinction. it can be revived by cultural rivavalist.

flokii:
The language Nnamdi Azikiwe wanted to force on Yorubas.. Ol0shi wanted his own language to be spoken across South just like Hausa language in North.

Yorubas better wake up.. this docile and gullible lifestyle won't do our people any good.

Well said.