To mark the International Youth Day, IYD, 2022, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANs, Weekend, appealed to the Federal Government, FG, to adopt a homegrown language as officially accepted language of communication in the country.
The call was made on Friday during a one-day Language for Unity Symposium organized by the office of the NANS National Financial Secretary, held at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja in commemoration of the International Youth Day, with the theme: “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for all Ages”.
Speaking at the event, the National Financial Secretary, NANS, Comr. Olaseinde Adeyinka (Sir Newton), said, the language barrier in the country has done Nigerians more harm than good, adding that the only way the country can get out of the quagmire is for the Federal Government to adopt one of the country’s indigenous languages as Nigeria’s official language for communication purposes.
“I feel that would help in uniting all the regions in the country”, Adeyinka said
On his part, the special guest honour, Adam Garba, while giving a remark pointed out that having a Nigerian official language would be a National symbol of Unity.
“This is a reawakening kind of program where we discuss our sincere identities and how they can be an integral part of evolution, our evolution as a country, and also digital development of our well-being as Nigerian citizens.
So we talked a lot about different languages in Nigeria and how they can be institutionalized, how we will respect them as a means of uniting ourselves, meaning, accepting the sincere realities that we are a diverse nation over the proud identity and the National Assembly would be getting a communique from this event and would look forward to seeing them take appropriate actions for a more unifying Nigeria”, he said.
Earlier in his remark, The President, of Nigerian Youth Congress, NYC, Blessing Akinlosotu, reacting to the theme of the event has this to say: ” even if someone is speaking Yoruba for instance, and another person is speaking another, and so on, I want us to see ourselves as one.
“I also want us to believe that language is just a means of communication. Maybe that is what you are exposed to. If you stay in the north for years, that’s what you would definitely be exposed to.
“The tribe we are from is not the most important thing. Whether you are from the North, South, West, or East, let us work together so that we can both all together enjoy and develop this country, Nigeria”.
Dignitaries at the event include: Akeredolu Babajide, DG PPMIU! Prince Segun Obayando, Foundation- SOF; Prince Usman; Hamzat, Ifako Ijaye, Chairman; Adamu Garba CEO IPIGroupNG; Mr ifeoluwa Ehindero – Consultant; Hon Mayokun lawson; Akure MHR, among many others
