INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY: Mrs Soludo Raises Alarm Over Decline of Indigenous Languages, Urges Nigerians to Speak Native Tongues with Pride
The Wife of the Anambra State Governor, Nonye Soludo, has called on Nigerians to take deliberate steps to preserve indigenous languages, warning that many native tongues are gradually fading due to neglect and lack of promotion.
Mrs Soludo made the appeal in a statement to commemorate the 2026 International Mother Language Day, themed “Youth Voices on Multilingual Education.”
Observed every February 21 since 2000, International Mother Language Day promotes linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as multilingualism across the globe.
Describing mother tongue as a “priceless cultural treasure,” Mrs Soludo stressed that no one is better positioned to protect a language than its native speakers.
“Mother language is a treasure that everyone should carry with pride. There is no shame in speaking your mother tongue and celebrating its beauty and uniqueness,” she said.
The founder of the Healthy Living Initiative noted that indigenous languages risk extinction when their owners fail to celebrate and transmit them to younger generations.
According to her, culture remains incomplete without the language that binds a people together, adding that language is not merely a tool of communication but a core identity and an emblem of socio-cultural participation.
She urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to speak their native languages without fear, limitation or apology.
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“Let no one tell you that you cannot speak it. Speak it. Cherish it. Be proud of it,” she added.
Mrs Soludo’s remarks come amid growing global advocacy for the protection of minority and indigenous languages, especially as digitalisation and urbanisation continue to shape communication patterns among youth.
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