Chinwe Anunobi, the National Library of Nigeria CEO, says NLN has engaged communities nationwide to create a Nigerian language map to preserve the mother languages.

Ms Anunobi disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday at the commemoration of the 2024 International Mother Tongues Day.

She said the National Library’s efforts to preserve the mother languages engaged communities in all the states to collate and create a ‘Nigerian Language Map’.

According to her, this is not just the map of Nigeria but much more, as it contains the languages spoken in each state.

“This map will be printed and placed in our reading halls as reference material in all our state branches. In addition to that, we are working as we speak, on a compendium of the alphabets and numerals of our indigenous languages.

“We consider this as the very first and critical step towards the preservation of our languages,” Ms Anunobi said.

She expressed concern over the rate at which languages were going into extinction, saying, “When your language goes into extinction, it is your culture that has gone into extinction.”

According to her, the language of each culture is the prime feature of that culture, hence the need to preserve it.

Ms Anunobi called on stakeholders to take steps towards the global quest to revitalise, preserve and promote the world’s indigenous languages. She expressed the need to avert the speedy disappearance of languages, particularly the indigenous ones.

She said, “Arising from the concern that at least one language dies every two weeks, UNESCO in 1999 designated the 21st of February every year as Mother Language Day.

“Furthermore, the United Nations leveraged and expended on that by designating the period 2022-2032 as the International Decade for Indigenous Languages with a view to revitalise, protect, preserve and promote indigenous languages for sustainable development.”

Ms Anunobi stressed four major outcomes “are expected” from these global engagements: learning, teaching and transmitting, establishing a global priority and fostering stakeholder commitment.

She added, “Ensure legal recognition of indigenous languages by member states and provide an enabling environment to enhance functional usage of indigenous languages.”

(NAN)