Are Nigerians Bilingual

[tomapep]

How current are those language maps? The Nigerian one seems to be 10 years old.

[seen]

Originally Posted by tomapep

How current are those language maps? The Nigerian one seems to be 10 years old.

Well the reference at the bottom dates to 2004 as the latest. I am assuming that it is up to date as of 2004. Very interesting picture painted (for all countries).

[new]

i think that the reason why Nigerians tend to not be bi-lingual is because they are too focused on the importance of your own ethnic tribe. They don't look at the big picture ie communication is key. It's a great disadvantage to move from one part of nigeria to another and not be able to relate or communicate because you were soo severe in your own tribe not to learn another's language. I think it should be mandatory to learn, yoruba, hausa and ibo in Nigeria just because these are the three major languages.

I also believe that within the group, you should stop telling each other lies about the difference between your "dialect of ibo" and general ibo and just accept it to be one language. It's stupid. "If it sounds like ibo, smells like Ibo or feels like Ibo, it's more likely to be IBO". let's get real with this whole distinction within the groups.

I grew up in lagos, and despite being from Delta, I have learned the Yoruba language (partly because it was forced upon me in elementary school and because Lagos is Yoruba-central). I think that if Nigerians left their simple-minded ideas about language, they can actually learn "other tribes or even other nations' languages".

[Shylaw]

Originally Posted by new

i think that the reason why Nigerians tend to not be bi-lingual is because they are too focused on the importance of your own ethnic tribe. They don't look at the big picture ie communication is key. It's a great disadvantage to move from one part of nigeria to another and not be able to relate or communicate because you were soo severe in your own tribe not to learn another's language. I think it should be mandatory to learn, yoruba, hausa and ibo in Nigeria just because these are the three major languages.

I also believe that within the group, you should stop telling each other lies about the difference between your "dialect of ibo" and general ibo and just accept it to be one language. It's stupid. "If it sounds like ibo, smells like Ibo or feels like Ibo, it's more likely to be IBO". let's get real with this whole distinction within the groups.

I grew up in lagos, and despite being from Delta, I have learned the Yoruba language (partly because it was forced upon me in elementary school and because Lagos is Yoruba-central). I think that if Nigerians left their simple-minded ideas about language, they can actually learn "other tribes or even other nations' languages".

i dont know how big a part ethnocentrism plays vs commerce/environment tho. Ur environment created the need for u to learn the lang. Most yorubas I know that speak igbo/hausa trade with easterners/northerners.Just cos I dont speak igbo doesnt mean I think any less of them.I've just not had the need to.

[Obiagéli]

i guess what you mean is a language like Swahili in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Congo), where everyone is expected to speak it, regardless of your native tongue, as well as the country's lingua franca - the official language like english in kenya and french in congo.

the simple answer is no. the average nigerian is only required to know his own native tongue and english.