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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Democratisation of Language Use in Public Domains in Nigeria
Author:Brann, Conrad Max BenedictISNI
Year:1993
Periodical:Journal of Modern African Studies
Volume:31
Issue:4
Period:December
Pages:639-656
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:language policy
multilingualism
Law, Human Rights and Violence
Politics and Government
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/161295
Abstract:The successive creation of states in Nigeria since independence has shown a gradual reversion to ethno-territorial principles. In addition, the 1989 Constitution considerably enhanced the significance of the third tier of the Republic, namely the local government authorities (LGAs): they rose to the unprecedented number of 589, clearly representing ethno-linguistic minorities. Of the country's 589 LGA's, about 362 are dominated by one of the three 'major' languages (Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo), about 104 are dominated by 13 of the dominant 'state' languages, and the rest by one of the 54 dominant 'local' languages. In the context of this multilingual situation, the author discusses language rights (access to law, the right to education, the right to participation, the right to culture, the right to information), the use of Nigerian languages in public services, language use in the private, communal, and official domains, and the extent to which the territorial principle of ethno-linguistic self-determination can be applied to conurbations, where Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, English and Pidgin are gradually taking over in the public spheres. Notes, ref.
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