Former governor of Enugu state, Bar Sullivan Chime, has suggested that Nigeria needs an indigenous national language spoken by all apart from the English language if national unity and cohesion must be achieved.

The APC chieftain stated this while receiving a delegation of the Northern Youths Parliament who paid him a courtesy visit in his Independent Layout residence in Enugu.

He strongly viewed the barrier language presents in the attempt at effective communication in the country by the different ethnic denominations as one of the strongest agent of disunity, a misunderstanding which helplessly leads some to resort to mere speculations that often lead to the ethnically charged atmosphere.

Chime maintained that a national language which can be picked from any of the existing languages or devised through any form acceptable to all would go a long way in stemming the tides and reducing the spate of ethnic suspicion and distrust in Nigeria.

He recalled that ethnic and religious rancours were the offshoot of the many coups that bedevilled Nigeria in the 1960s.

On religious conflicts, Mr Chime told the Northern group that neither Christianity nor Islam was an indigenous religion but that both religions were received from outside missionaries during the ugly days of colonialism mainly through missionaries.

He also revealed that Jesus Christ and Mohammed were both brothers from Jerusalem which makes it pointless for anybody to fight on behalf of any religion when the progenitors are kits and kin.

The erstwhile governor also used the opportunity to urge Nigerians irrespective of ethnic configurations to imbibe the spirit of oneness and return Nigeria to those days when a Hausa man was governor of Enugu without anybody going through his religious or ethnic histories.

He prayed that everything is predicated on competence and capacity for the betterment of Nigeria and the benefit of all Nigerians.

The Southeast political juggernaut also used the avenue to correct the many misconceptions across ethnic lines in Nigeria and disclosed to the group that it is high time Nigerians came out of their ethnic enclaves to a national front where the Nigerian interest will be discussed for the national interest of the country.

He berated ethnic bigots who ride on the gullibility of their followers to spread hate speeches against ethnic groups and also fan the embers of division to serve some selfish ends.
A national language needed to foster unity in Nigeria – Chime

https://www.thenigerian.news/a-national-language-needed-to-foster-unity-in-nigeria-chime/

So how do you pick a language out of the over 520 languages in Nigeria apart from English?

You indirectly called for separation but operating like the European union countries.

Definitely an Igbo language. The language of intelligence.

Definitely Igbo language. The language of intelligence.

How is that possible when greater part of the tower of Babel fell in Nigeria...??... Mostly my state CRS..

They should adopt Igbo language for free. We won't charge them much

Chime the drunk and wife beater

Is pidgin English not okay gt that?

Pidgin should have been introduced to Secondary school syllabus..

May be Past and current FG are afraid of Britain beating them if they should... Or?

Chime is smart! This sounds nice, reasonable when its actually meaningless because its not gonna work. How will a multi tribal, multi lingual Nigeria make one indigineous language a national language?
Was hectrying to impress the Hausa guys that visited him or something?

This is how Ibo start shyyte, then when it's implemented against them they cry marginalization.

Does Sullivan not know that other regions are aware of the value of language and common tongue to fostering unity? So why are they not bringing it forth? Because it not doable.

For sake of mischief, let's say now that Yorubas take this thought from East and run with it to claim that the national language should be Yoruba since every ethnic group and tongue can be found in Yorubaland. Ibos will now say Yorubas are selfish.

Unified language is not your problem at moment. If it is tabled for adoption Ibo cannot win it. So learn to fight battles you can win, not the ones that enslaves you to others. Tell Chime to go back to sleep.

Which unity is this fool talking about...
Someone that almost bankrupted Enugu state
When it's obvious that he would be probed.. The thief jumped over to APc and became a saint...

There is nothing like unity in the country...
We are not a people
Our diversity is the bane of our development
Nobody is going to dump his language and culture in the quest for a national one
It's not the solution to the wanton killings and blood letting in the country..
It's not the solution to the unemployment and poverty in the land

To your tents oh Israel
We are not one
We can never be one

Only Oil binds us together
That's why Buhari put NNPc in the hands of the North

A very lofty idea but that is like asking for the impossible.

Good to note that Jesus Christ and Mohammed are brothers from Jerusalem. One thing our religious leaders hardly tell us.

contigiency:
A very lofty idea but that is like asking for the impossible.

Good to note that Jesus Christ and Mohammed are brothers from Jerusalem. One thing our religious leaders hardly tell us.

Very wrong assumption.

Jesus is from Nazareth in Jerusalem

Muhammad was from Mecca in Saudi Arabia

The two are not brothers in any way.

Igbo language.
The heavenly language.


But will the hate for igbos that units the west and north allow them.
Your guess is as good as mine.

I think that language should be pidgin English, and here are my reasons:

(1) From its simple origins as the language of transatlantic slave trade to its role as a postcolonial language of resistance in West Africa and the Caribbeans, pidgin English has really come of age as the quintessential lingua franca of West Africa. This language is presently spoken by over 100 million west Africans as a first or second language, including in Ghana, Equitorial Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cameroun¹.

(2) Given it's very patchy, recent origins, the language belongs to no one, and belongs everyone at the same time. As such, adopting it should not generate as much controversy as adopting one of our ethnic languages.

(3) As an extension to (2), pidgin English is the only language capable of simultaneously inspiring a sense of unity among every ethnic group in Nigeria while also carrying everyone along, educated or not. Imagine how much more informed the average unlettered Nigerian would be if our leaders presented their political manifestos and argued their ideological differences in pidgin English.

(4) Pidgin English is a very fluid language, which means it is better capable of adapting to the innovations of modern times than most other established languages.

(5) Pidgin English is lexified by English, which is the language of trade and science. This means the most useful modern literature in science, technology and economics can very quickly be translated to pidgin English without losing the meanings of words. This also has the added benefit of eliminating the relative esotericism of useful scientific concepts in West Africa.

(6) Despite its many fumblings, many countries in West Africa, the Caribbeans and the Americas still look up to Nigeria. By standardising and adopting pidgin English as our national language, Nigeria will be sending a message to these countries that it is time to bond over our common heritage and vulnerabilities. I also feel confident that by sheer number and influence, Nigeria would naturally influence the method of standardisation for the rest of the pidgin English speaking world.

I am under no illusions that this would be an easy task. But becoming a nation has never been easy. It just takes a very bold step by very bold leaders. Besides, Rwanda changed its official language from French to English in 2009, which is arguably more difficult than changing from English to pidgin English. If Rwanda can do it, what is Nigeria waiting for?

¹ Yakpo, K., "“The only language we speak really well”: the English creoles of Equatorial Guinea and West Africa at the intersection of language ideologies and language policies", International Journal of the Sociology of Language. 2016(239): 211-233. Retrieved 26 Jun. 2019, from doi:10.1515/ijsl-2016-0010

Very bad omeno....