INTERVIEW: Indigenous Languages Should be Promoted –Isyaku Bala Ibrahim

An Interview conducted by a Freelance Journalist, Ezekiel Fajenyo on the new Nupe Proverb Book - Eganmaganzhi Nupe and other issues on Indigenous Languages and Literature with the Author I. B. Ibrahim 

May we meet you please?

Yes! My names are Isyaku Bala Ibrahim, an indigene of Niger State from Gbako Local Government Area, from an interior village called Bidafu-Zhaba. I am a trained manager, with a B.Sc in Management Studies from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and currently, a civil servant with a Commission in Abuja. My prime hobby is writing with interest in Nupe language, leadership and biographies. I recently became an author with the publication of my two works: Eganmaganzhi Nupe (Nupe Proverbs) and The Rise of a Servant-Leader: Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, OON (Talban Minna) both not yet presented to the public, but by Allah’s Grace, it will come up in the next few weeks, 1st May 2010 to be exact.

Your recent publication on Nupe Proverbs tells of your fervent interest in promoting the language. What is your source of motivation?

Well, first and foremost, I am a language aficionado. I always love people who understand and speak their languages fluently which I think it’s a major motivation. When one likes something, to strengthen that like, one will ordinarily want to do something or will be moved to do something to fine tune that like and make the thing look more attractive to him and the people. And at a time when you realized that something is beginning to go wrong with that thing you like. To be candid, I do not think folding your arms portent that like. So you will be moved to take action to see that, that thing retained and maintained its desired features that make you like it. That is a scenario of what most of our languages are today. Our cultural heritage is being eroded by the day which calls for our collective action to preserve what are left of them today.

How far do you wish to go in promoting the language?

As long as I could or as long as God will permit me. Though, I sturdily believe promoting Nupe language is not an individual effort or task, but a collective one. Though, people in different capacities can make some appreciable impact, but it is frankly a collective thing as a Nupe proverb goes: Etun kanma, sayi egwa kanma (Collective work needs collective hands). So, I am just trying to see what I can do at my own end to help ourselves in keeping Nupe language and any other language flags flying. Because, I want a situation where a Gbagyi writer will pick up the challenge and say I can do this for my language too. If there are no books written on this subject, and if there are, it will add to what is on the ground. Sincerely, there are a lot of subjects and topics in our languages waiting for us as writers to explore.

Which challenges have you faced in the process of executing your projects?

Frankly speaking, there are so many of them: the process of data collection is tasking, our environment is also very unfriendly to writing, the most pathetic one is lack of power, and finally finance; because in this country to be successful as a writer, you have to become all in one - your own publisher, distributor, marketer, etc. Just you. Though, I am a person that strongly believes in turning challenges into opportunities. I believe there is always a way out of any difficulty we faced in whatever we engaged in or whatever we do in our lives. Also, the can-do-spirit also helps in this circumstance and most importantly, when one is very conscious of the incalculable impact what his doing will make on the people and the society in general. However, with this consciousness in your mind, you will then tend to forget these challenges as if they do not exist or simply look at them as the must cross huddles for you to succeed in this regard.

Do you agree that most indigenous languages are being threatened in modern times?

Yes! They are all threatened. The threat is here with us. It only depends on how we intend to fight it. You know that UNESCO and ethnologists or researchers had published several warning reports on languages that will be extinct in the next few years or in the next century some of whom are in Africa. You can see and feel it even here in Nigeria and particularly in Niger State. Things are not the way they used to be in the state. We have lost track of so many of our cultural values to modernity. Let us not go too far; if you know that your child cannot speak your language fluently that is a sign. So, let me answer this from two angles: first, foreign influence through colonization of Nigeria by the British and making English the official language in the country thereby reducing our mother tongues to mere household languages. But, this only happens in Africa continent unlike its Asian counterparts who were also colonized i.e. India, Malaysia, or China but they still maintained their culture and languages at their national and provincial levels. In India for instance, English language is only spoken when there is a national gathering. Secondly, domestic influence or negligence; here there is no any national law or act or edict at the state level or by-laws at the local government areas that promote or encourage the use of indigenous languages thereby preserving them. Our constitution is in English, national anthem in English. Nigeria is a multi-lingual nation with a foreign language mentality. This is a clear failure of our leaders who are unable to institutionalize the use of our languages through enactment of national or local laws, and our schools today at all levels are void of our local languages even at the core languages areas, not just the three – Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo but others. In fact, there is a fundamental problem here.

What may be done to salvage the situation?

As I said earlier, this problem is not what a person can single-handedly solve. It is far beyond an individual. It will require the support of the emirates and chiefdoms, local government areas, educational institutions and the state. They should as a matter of fact fish out those that can champion this task representing all the tribes in the states. Policies will be required from the governments at all levels to establish research institutes for indigenous languages, and also serious need to teach all indigenous languages in our schools across the country. All the tribes should be given due consideration and representation thereby providing a holistic solution to the problem and this is what I believe will make the desired impact on the various language centres in the state and the country at large.

Specifically name the projects you have in the works towards promoting the Nupe Language?

Ok. I have just concluded Enyalò – Nupe Arithmetic which will insha-Allah be out very soon. It is a piece that is also very revealing which shows how Nupe people count from kurugi (0) to Kpautsutsun (1,000,000) through to Gbautsutsun (100,000,000); and the way our forefathers and fathers applied arithmetic in their farms, commerce and tax etc. Then, I also have the following: Ékpó nyá Egangan – Nupe Grammar, The 101 Nupe Patriots 1400-2010 (Volume I & II), Egancinzhi –Nupe Idioms, Ecingizhi – Nupe Riddles etc all in the works. However, it will be my most fulfilled dream if all of them will be on the shelves and the impacts they will make to our people and the humanity in general. I am just prayer for long life and good health, because there are still lots in our culture demanding serious attention from writers.

Do you believe individuals have specific roles to play in documenting and propagating indigenous language?

They strongly have. In fact, documenting and propagation of indigenous languages has individualistic tradition in Nigeria. You will agree with me that in this country art works on literature, movie, music, or drawings had for long been championed or carried out by the right owners. And this is occasioned by them seeing themselves as change agents, and the unwavering resolve to do something in the society. Let me also state here that preservation of Nupe language in literature was pioneered by a Yoruba man- late Rev Ajayi Crowther in the mid 1860s and followed by Whitemen like Alexander W. Banfield, J. L. Macintyre, and Prof Frederick Seinfeld who was reported to have stayed in Nupeland for more than two decades. They all wrote interesting books on Nupe language and now formed the Nupe classical books of the 1860-1950s, though they are very limited or hardly seen, but they are much around. 

Arts generally have different ways of preserving and propagating our languages. Audio Songs of late Hajiya Fatima Lolo, Hajiya Fatima Batati, Hajiya Kulu Lafiyagi, Madu Sorogi, Alhaji Babaminin etc is another form of language propagation. The emergence of Nupe Drama or films today is part of it too. Today we have Hausa and Yoruba Newspapers, films shown on DSTV on a global scale, and they are on the internet i.e. on Google search engine. Mind you; these works were started by just a few people and now has global recognition and presence. So if these people did not come up with these works, we would not have referred to them. Individual efforts on cultural propagation are a long tradition not only in Nigeria, but all around the world. But, most importantly it must start somewhere, somehow by somebody for them to grow and spread.  

Aside being a Nupe, are there other factors which have inspired your unique projects in promoting the Nupe language?

I do appreciate human diversity. It is what defines the plurality of our existence. So, doing anything that will strengthen this diversity to me is a worthwhile effort. Secondly, I consider this effort as trying to uphold God’s virtue by appreciating and maintaining what He had created. Allah created human beings with different identities. He also created their languages as means of communication with one another. Therefore, when you broadly look at this effort, it is to me a service to humanity.

What is your understanding of the Nupe orthography in the modern context?

In fact, this is a very important question, to the best of my knowledge and through my research; Nupe language does not have its on alphabetical signs as the language had remain unwritten for centuries. As a result, the coming of the two lettered religions: Islam and Christianity led to the teaching of Arabic which was the language of the Islamic faith, while the missionaries came with the English Bible which led to the adoption of English language to teach the faith to their converts. While the emirate uses the Arabic letters to communicate in Nupe Ajami to themselves for centuries. Then the British colonized the country and introduced the roman letters also a medium of communication in English language, which since then became the official language of the country and mode of writing through out the country. So this is how we became use to the roman letters and hence their adoption and use in the writing in Nupe language, and the Nupe Ajami’s in used then is now used in isolated cases which are thus fast fading. The first person that wrote on Nupe language was Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther, who was among the chief missioners that worked in the Nupe country in that period. He published a book entitled A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Nupe Language in 1864 using the roman letters. Others also followed suit more so that the country’s administrative and educational institutions after the colonization favoured the use of the roman letters. A.W. Banfield also translated the English Language Bible into Nupe Language and also wrote the Nupe Dictionary using the same letters with the Yoruba format of writing with the roman letters in the 1910s.

So, the use of Roman letters has become a tradition which their contemporary use in writing Nupe Language was never a challenge at all, the only thing to be aware of is the berezhi - tonal system, where a word can be expressed in so many forms with different meanings; and taking note of the number of egimikazhi in the Nupe alphabetical list. Another thing is the application of modal verbs which is quite different from the English ones used in Nupe grammar. So learning and writing Nupe in the modern context is not as complicated as learning Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew or any other language. The important requirement is the passion, the zeal or the courage to learn the language by knowing how to read and write it.

What do you think literary associations like ANA should do to promote indigenous languages and literature?

ANA is at the forefront of this promotion. I could remember the literary body organized a colloquium at Kaduna in honour of one of our own, Malam Abubakar Imam Kagara which I was in attendance in 2009 and theme of that event was on encouraging writings in our indigenous languages. This was because Imam’s ace writings and works were all in Hausa language like the Magana Jari ce, Ruwan Bagaja etc.  That programme was part of the sensitization programme of the Association which is a step in the right direction and I hope they will do more. It also organized the maiden edition of Northern Nigeria Writers Summit in 2008 which Niger State Chapter hosted. Various speakers at the event spoke on the need for writers in the region to preserve their cultural norms through writing in our languages. ANA Niger I believe is also encouraging us who chose to write on indigenous language literature.

What should educational institutions, including Education Resource Centres do to develop indigenous languages?

Our educational institutions have not helped matters. These languages have been part of us, part of our lives. Hardly will you find a detailed research on these languages in our institutions. Even the so-called big-three languages (Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo) depended on the individual writers to get to the level they have attained today. Thanks to Hausa and Yoruba writers. Other languages do not have any present in the scheme of work of the Department of Nigerian Languages in almost all the higher institutions in the country.  I’m always baffled when I hear the name given to this department but when you actually visit it; it does not go beyond the three languages out of about three hundred the nation is blessed with. Then you will begin to ask yourself, is it only three languages that exist in this country. These institutions suppose to be our referents on any topic on our culture and traditions not even the languages. Though, I will always point my left fingers at the government. It’s their fault with no exception because until recently about 90% of these institutions are government owned. There is no any concrete policy platform on cultural preservation by the government to these institutions, and no Cultural Institute is establish by Federal or State Governments talk less of local government with this mandate. I should be corrected if there are. Even the traditional faculties are crying of lack of funds and infrastructures talk more of culture whose significance is barely recognized by our leaders. All we have today are museums, archives, libraries which are all collection centres, not cultural research centres. Even some of these museums and libraries their maintenance is left to the rats, and cockroaches. I’m sorry to point out this, do you know that I almost forgot that Niger State has a library until I joined ANA Niger and because the complex house its office where we meet weekly; what I saw there was beyond words due to its unpardonable condition.  But, cheers! About a month ago, the current regime has taken the bull by its horn in an attempt to restore the complex back to its rightful position in the information arena of the state. In this strategic arena, you will find the National Library and Federal Information Centre all functioning through the provision of rewardable services to Nigerlites; while, the State Library is under lock and key. In fact, closed. Therefore, this audacious step taken by Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu’s administration has saved us over two decade’s shame and this is the proactive leadership we need and admire to say it bluntly. Thanks!  

So, all the stakeholders have a part to play: the government, its educational institutions, and individual writers in promoting indigenous languages and literature in this country.

Should our works in English be translated into indigenous languages, especially literature?

They should. Imagine if the Holy Bible was not translated into English language from the original Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek scripts. Because I learnt that Jesus Christ spoke Aramaic and currently, the Bible is the most translated Book on earth including the Nupe translation. The Holy Qur’an is also translated into several languages around the world too from the original Arabic script. The recent one is the Nupe translation by Sheikh Said Enagi. And who will today doubt the impact these translated books have made to humanity. I believe no one dare do that. So, I will be at the forefront of championing this project to see the works of our literary icons or elders in Niger State like late Abubakar Imam, Mamman Jiya Vatsa, Abubakar Gimba, Yahaya S. Dangana, B.M. Dzukogi etc. translated into Nupe, Gbagyi, Kamuku, Hausa languages etc. and other works in the country.

The technical aspects of some of the indigenous languages often threaten people who wish to work on them. What has been your staying power?

It is a perception thing, or else I believe nothing on earth is difficult. If you look critically they are all technical, it depends on how you unlock the logic to overcome this technicality. For example, most people believe mathematics is difficult but ironically they perform maths everyday in their transactions. So, even what you think is simple may end up being difficult if not done rightly. For instance, there are places you will be required to just smile or laugh and in another place just to show remorse or cry. If you interchange them or do too much of them, then you will become something else in the eyes of the people. The point I’m making here is get the right fact, do the right research and you will have the right essay or output. In Nupe actually, understand the language very well, know how to write it, and ask question where in doubt from those who know.

Should State Ministries of Education have anything to do with promoting indigenous language?

I think this question should not limit this promotion to the state ministries of education alone. All the levels of governments in the country play decisive role in our education. Though, this is the right ministry that is most suitable to or can make the most desired impact on a larger scale from the Federal to the state and the local government areas. For instance, the language I’m communicating with you now was made possible through Ministry of Education from 1983 when I started my education career as a pupil in a primary school learning A, B, C, D. here in Minna through to the time I wrote my WAEC, English Language papers and all other subjects were written in English language. This continued to date, even in my office memos are written in English. Through out this process, I was not thought by the English or the British but by my fellow brothers and sisters who also went through the same process. And mind you, this was made possible through schools under the supervision of the Education Ministry in the local governments in charge of the primary school I attended; State government in charge of the secondary school I finished from; and Federal Government responsible for the two tertiary institutions I graduated from were all under the supervision of Federal Ministry of Education. So imagine English and at least three other local languages within this area were taught to us with the same vigour English language was taught, we would have been gurus in Gbagyi, Hausa and Nupe languages. So they are supposed to be the vanguard of this promotion.

How long did it take you to complete the book on Nupe Proverbs?

To be exact, I started compiling the proverbs few months after my national youth service in 2004, possibly around June. And I temporarily dropped my pen on proverbs on July, 2009. So, it took me five good years to come up with this book by Allah’s Grace.