National Peace and Security

National Peace and Security

Research Topic:- The imperativeness of linguistic option to national peace & security

National Peace and Security

Background

Long before now, air, water, food, and accommodation used to be the basic necessities of life of man. Today, especially in Nigeria, another indispensable necessity which may even replace food in the third position has naturally wormed its way into our society. Security! It is sweet to pronounce but quite difficult to achieve and ensure. In the said hierarchy of necessities of life one can possibly say security because of its sine qua non to man’s peaceful existence. For decades now, there has been a lot of threat to this very crucial necessity globally. Terrorism and waves of war ravage our society worldwide today. The threats to national security rear its ugly head in Nigeria in form of inter tribal war that was not unconnected with linguistic diversity and religion. The foregoing has then left its negative impact on our society in form of internal displacement of Nigerians within Nigeria. Several concerted efforts have been made by each successive government to nib this hydra-headed monster in the bud and exterminate it. Yet, insecurity has continuously showing its ugly head in a more aggressive form.

Having tried all the seemingly possible solutions to curb this life-threatening problem (insecurity), this write-up advocates for the linguistic option in stemming the tides of insecurity in Nigeria to ensure a peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians. When there is life that is not threatened there is hope for other good things of life. Ironically, the Federal Government of Nigeria is conscious of this as contained in the official document of the National Policy on Education.

 

Statement of problem

If there is security panic in the society it has a lot of ripple effects on individuals, human productivity and national economy at large. The attention is usually divided in such a situation and society. This is somehow the situational trademark of the Nigerian nation. This grossly low national productivity if unchecked will eventually take its toll on the national economic life. Language is a pivot upon which human activity revolves. Linguistic integration in Nigeria should be ensured and harmonized to solving a national security problem in Nigeria.. It creates cultural and social bonds for those who share it. This justifies Ferdinand de Saussure’s view of language in Hartzeler (1965: 113-126) that ‘langue’ is seen as a human-specific attribute that is (like a pool of water) collectively shared by the speakers of a given speech community. Language creates cultural and social bonds for those who commonly speak it. It promotes a feeling of oneness and trust among those who inhabit that linguistic world. Language is a means through which society perpetuates and renews itself by inculcating its essential values into the people and reawakening their collective and individual consciousness.

 

Research Proposal

The imperativeness linguistic option to national security and cohesion is very apt especially at this period of our national life when every humanly possible effort appears futile. Language is the only attribute or possession that distinguishes man from other animals. Insecurity as it is in contemporary is a national threat that nothing should be spared to exterminate. Given its negative impact on our national life language stands a much better natural solution that only needs to be given attention restructured and planned adequately as enshrined in the National Policy on Education (NPE). To effectively execute this, the Nigerian National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN, linguistic related departments in the universities, language scholars and other related stakeholders should be charged with the statutory responsibilities of ensuring that modalities are put in place for every Nigerian to acquire and speak other Nigerian languages apart from his/her mother-tongue. Government commitment towards the attainment of this lofty goal is quite central. Since language serves as an instrument of national cohesion, Nigerians having been able to speak another ethnic’ s language can peacefully live wherever they choose to settle as a citizen and be identified with them both linguistically and culturally. This is one of the cardinal agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria

 

Objectives

The overall objective of this undertaking which is in consonance with the government’s agenda is to ensure that every Nigerian wherever they do not suffer any form of social isolation borne out of ethno-linguistic dichotomy. In other words, each Nigerian citizen should be allowed to live maximally by participating actively in every lawful activity whether social, political or economic within his area of residence without any form of social discrimination. Simply put, every Nigerian citizen should be free wherever they choose to live.

 

Duration

This laudable research can be executed within 2 years if all the required human and material resources are adequately provided.

 

Names of Group Two Members

1) Dr. Babarinde, Olusanmi     (Dept. of Linguistics, Igbo & Other Nigerian Languages, UNN)

2) Mr. Amoke, Kelvin            (Dept. of English and Literary Studies, UNN)

3) Mr. Awa, Samuel                 (Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature)

4) Mr. Ahamefula, Ndubuisi    (Dept. of Linguistics, Igbo & Other Nigerian Languages, UNN)

5) Mr, Waya, David                   (Dept. of Linguistics, Igbo & Other Nigerian Languages, UNN)

6) Mr. Omotosho, Melafa         (Dept. of English and Literary Studies, UNN)

7) Mrs. Asadu, Emmanuela     (Dept. of English and Literary Studies, UNN)

8) Mr. Agu, Basil                      (Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature, UNN)

9) Mr. Asadu                             (Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature, UNN)

10) Mr. Ugwuanyi, Kingsly       (Dept. of English and Literary Studies, UNN)