Nigerian Pidgin English: A Cultural Universal for National Communication and Policy Enactment

Abstract

Recurrent ethnic conflicts and political strife are threats to national unity and pride. Some argue, this phenomenon is related to the impact of prior Western dominance, globalisation and neo-colonialism. As panacea, this paper leans on Kwasi Wiredu’s proposition of Language, a Cultural Universal, as essential for intercultural and national communication. The paper, using discourse analysis argues that the Nigeria Pidgin English Language has a unifying potential for Nigeria. Nigerian Pidgin speaking is currently more popular compared to the 3 regional languages, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and English language. This proposition further explored Spolsky’s National Language Policy Theory. It concludes that Nigeria’s multi-ethnic reality and antecedents’ challenges be resolved by the pragmatic positivist approach of language unification. Recommendations include a review of the National communication policy, creation of language policy, declaration that Nigerian Pidgin be officially added to the list of languages for National Communication, in the interest of National Unity.

Keywords: Spolsky’s Theory, National Communication Policy, Cultural Universal, Nigerian Pidgin English

DOI: 10.7176/JPCR/50-09

Publication date:November 30^th 2020