Literacy in the 21 Century: Indigenous Language as a Key Factor for Sustainable National Development

Ebiyeladoh Laura Ajoko; Justina Lere Charles

doi:10.56201/ijelcs.vol.10.no7.2025.pg81.88

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Literacy in the 21 Century: Indigenous Language as a Key Factor for Sustainable National Development

Ebiyeladoh Laura Ajoko, Justina Lere Charles

Abstract

This paper x-rayed how indigenous languages can be used as a tool for sustainable national development in the twenty-first century. The focus of this paper is to explore the extent to which the indigenous languages can bring about revival and vigour in Nigeria's quest for development in the twenty-first century. The discourse on sustainable development has generally shown surprisingly little interest in the possible relevance of language to this field of inquiry. The major argument in this paper is that sustainable development is mediated through local knowledge, inculcated through the indigenous languages. This paper takes up the issue of the link between Nigerian languages and sustainable development. Its main purpose is not to lament the dangers resulting from Nigeria's linguistic fragmentation or the linguistic fascism of the English Language, but to highlight the positive role indigenous languages can play in the quest for sustainable national development.

Keywords

Literacy21st centuryIndigenous languageSustainableNational development

References

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Literacy in the 21 Century: Indigenous Language as a Key Factor for Sustainable National Development

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