Abstract
This paper discusses Nigerian Pidgin as a language that has risen through ranks and become a main unifying language for Nigerians at home and in diaspora. More than half the population speak and communicate with Nigerian Pidgin every day and many are learning daily, however, the government and education turn a blind eye to its increasing influence and cling to English language. In a country of such language multiplicity and diversity, English language ought to be the unifying language; however, it is Nigerian Pidgin that has actually stepped up to bridge that gap between Nigerians with ethnic/tribal, class and status differences. Certainly, no indigenous Nigerian language given the country’s ethnical orientation can fill the gap of a lingua franca. But more than half of the population communicate in Nigerian Pidgin every day and in fact in all domain. Yet, despite the supposed quest for a unifying official language, the government and stakeholders continue to turn a blind eye to all Nigerian Pidgin does in the area of unifying the whole country through communication. Quite remarkably, Nigerian Pidgin developed itself with little or no formal help and supervision from the government. It is a language born out of pure need to communicate and connect and it has continued to thrive as such. This paper therefore argues that first; Nigerian Pidgin is the most inclusive language used to communicate in Nigeria, second, the government and stakeholders should bequeath an official status upon it and dedicate planned and integrated efforts to standardise it.
Keywords: Nigerian Pidgin, communication, differences, English language
Adebayo, D. (2018). The Functionality of Nigerian Pidgin in Communication: Why It Should Be Accorded Official Status. Afribary. Retrieved from https://tracking.afribary.com/works/the-functionality-of-nigerian-pidgin-in-communication-why-it-should-accorded-official-status
Adebayo, Damilola "The Functionality of Nigerian Pidgin in Communication: Why It Should Be Accorded Official Status" Afribary. Afribary, 15 Nov. 2018, https://tracking.afribary.com/works/the-functionality-of-nigerian-pidgin-in-communication-why-it-should-accorded-official-status. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Adebayo, Damilola . "The Functionality of Nigerian Pidgin in Communication: Why It Should Be Accorded Official Status". Afribary, Afribary, 15 Nov. 2018. Web. 23 Nov. 2024. < https://tracking.afribary.com/works/the-functionality-of-nigerian-pidgin-in-communication-why-it-should-accorded-official-status >.
Adebayo, Damilola . "The Functionality of Nigerian Pidgin in Communication: Why It Should Be Accorded Official Status" Afribary (2018). Accessed November 23, 2024. https://tracking.afribary.com/works/the-functionality-of-nigerian-pidgin-in-communication-why-it-should-accorded-official-status