Youth Voices on Multilingual Education in Nigeria By Jegede V.O.
Youth Voices on Multilingual Education in Nigeria
By Jegede V.O.
Good Morning Fellow Youth and Educator,
Nigeria is often described as the “Giant of Africa.”
We are known for our population, our creativity, our resilience, our music, and our innovation. But there is something else that makes Nigeria extraordinary.Our languages.
From Yoruba to Hausa, from Igbo to Efik, Kanuri, Tiv, Ijaw, and over 500 more languages Nigeria is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world.
Yet in many of our classrooms, only one language dominates.
Today, I want to speak about youth voices on multilingual education in Nigeria because we, the students, are living this reality every day.
Nigeria’s Linguistic Diversity Is a Strength
In homes across Nigeria, children grow up speaking their mother tongue fluently. We joke in it. We pray in it. We dream in it.
But when many of us enter school, everything changes. Suddenly, English becomes the language of intelligence. The language of exams. The language of success.
According to Nigeria’s National Policy on Education, children are encouraged to learn in their mother tongue in early years. Yet in practice, this is not always fully implemented.
And we the youth notice.
Language Is Identity
When a child is punished for speaking their local language at school, what message are we sending?
That their culture is inferior?
That their heritage is unimportant?
Language carries history. It carries respect for elders. It carries proverbs, wisdom, and worldview.
If multilingual education is properly supported, students don’t have to choose between academic success and cultural pride. We can have both.
The Academic Reality
Let’s be honest.
Many students understand concepts better when explained first in their mother tongue especially in early primary school. A child in Kano may grasp a science concept faster if it’s explained in Hausa before transitioning to English. A child in Enugu may understand mathematics more clearly when grounded in Igbo first.
Multilingual education is not about rejecting English.
English connects Nigeria to the global stage. It is our official language and a bridge between our diverse ethnic groups.
But valuing English should not mean undervaluing Nigerian languages.
Strong foundations in mother tongue can strengthen later English proficiency not weaken it.
The Challenges We Face
As Nigerian youth, we see the gaps:
• Not enough trained teachers in local languages
• Limited textbooks in indigenous languages
• Overcrowded classrooms
• National exams conducted only in English
• Urban schools shifting entirely to English for “prestige”
And in some cases, students are mocked for speaking their native language.
That is not just an educational issue.
It is a confidence issue.
Youth Must Be Included in the Policy Conversation
Global organizations like UNESCO advocate for mother-tongue-based multilingual education. But in Nigeria, policy must move beyond paper into practice.
And youth must be part of shaping that practice.
We are the ones navigating between languages daily:
• Translating for parents
• Switching from pidgin to formal English
• Mixing indigenous languages with modern slang
• Creating music, content, and culture that reflects all of it
Nigeria’s youth are already multilingual innovators.
Why not let our education system reflect that strength?
A Vision for Nigeria
Imagine classrooms where:
• Early education is grounded in mother tongue
• English is taught strongly, but not imposed at the cost of identity
• Indigenous languages are modernized, digitized, and respected
• Students feel proud not ashamed of their heritage
Multilingual education in Nigeria is not about division.
It is about unity through diversity.
It is about building confident learners who know who they are and can compete globally without losing their roots.
My Call to Action
To policymakers: Invest in teacher training and materials in Nigerian languages.
To schools: Stop punishing students for speaking their mother tongue.
To parents: Continue speaking your language at home with pride.
And to my fellow Nigerian youth: Let us raise our voices. Let us celebrate our languages. Let us demand an education system that reflects who we truly are.
Because when Nigeria protects its languages, it protects its future.
Thank you
Nice one sir
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