Don Raises Alarm on Extinction of Nigerian Languages at 99th Inaugural Lecture

The Ekiti State University community gathered at the University Auditorium on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, for the institution's 99th Inaugural Lecture. The lecture, titled "Language Equality and Inequality: Talking Structure and Status," was delivered by Professor Michael Abiodun of the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages. The event was a major academic gathering, attended by the Vice-Chancellor, traditional rulers, and students.

In his lecture, Professor Abiodun sounded a serious warning about the gradual death of indigenous Nigerian languages. He argued that the preference for English Language over local dialects in homes and schools is a "cultural suicide" mission. He noted that if urgent steps are not taken by the government and parents, many Nigerian languages could go into extinction within the next few decades, which would lead to a loss of national identity.

The "gist" of the lecture was a call to action. The Professor recommended that the government should enforce policies that make the teaching of indigenous languages compulsory at the primary and secondary school levels. He also challenged EKSU students to be proud of their linguistic heritage and to use their mother tongues in daily communication, rather than seeing them as "vernacular" or inferior to English.