Nigerian Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has emphasised the vital role of indigenous languages in shaping value orientation and promoting cultural values among Nigerians.
At a public lecture organised in Abuja yesterday by the institute with the theme, “Rethinking the use of National Languages in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects for Sustainable Value Orientation”, NICO’s executive secretary, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, said indigenous languages were essential for transmitting cultural heritage, moral values and national identity.
“Language, as we know, is a critical vessel of culture and heritage. It is through language that we communicate and transmit knowledge and express our collective identity.
“This year’s annual lecture is pivotal as it comes at a time when we are faced with challenges that demand urgent action; the erosion of our indigenous languages among young people, the dominance of foreign languages in our education systems as well as public institutions, and the cultural disorientation that often accompany these changes,” Ajiboye said.
