As AI Advances, Experts Call for the Preservation of Indigenous Tongues on World Mother Language Day 2026

By Oluwaseyi Elizabeth Jimoh

As Nigeria joins the global community to mark World Mother Language Day, education experts have warned policymakers that sidelining indigenous languages in schools is a disservice to national development and a defeatist approach to cultural preservation.

Commemorated annually by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Mother Language Day draws global attention to the role of language in shaping identity, learning outcomes and inclusive societies. In Nigeria — a country with over 500 languages — advocates say current educational practices risk eroding cultural heritage and weakening cognitive development among learners.

“LANGUAGES ARE BRIDGES, NOT WALLS”

Education specialist and language advocate, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, said Nigeria must urgently rethink policies that prioritize foreign languages as the primary medium of instruction at the expense of mother tongues.

“We need to develop localized curricula that teach foundational subjects in mother tongues, while gradually introducing globally recognized languages,” she said. “It’s time we flip the narrative and recognize that languages are bridges, not walls. They connect us to our roots and empower disadvantaged communities.”

Umukoro described Nigeria’s linguistic diversity as a “gold mine” and a “cultural treasure trove waiting to be tapped.” According to her, policies that discourage instruction in indigenous languages amount to cultural self-erasure.

“When the language of instruction is not your native tongue, it becomes another way of throwing away your history, your culture and even your grasp of ideas. That is defeatist,” she stated.

COGNITIVE GAINS OF MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION

Highlighting research-backed benefits, Umukoro emphasized that multilingual education enhances memory, improves problem-solving skills and strengthens creative thinking.

“When children learn first in their mother tongue, they understand concepts better. It also makes transitioning to other languages easier later in life,” she explained.

She noted that in an era defined by artificial intelligence and rapid translation technologies, sidelining local languages is both unnecessary and counterproductive.

“In the age of AI, where languages can be integrated into digital systems and translated instantly, why adopt policies that exclude indigenous languages from classrooms? That is a disservice,” she added.

Studies have consistently shown that multilingual learners often outperform monolingual peers in multitasking and creative reasoning — skills critical for innovation and national growth.

LESSONS FROM CHINA AND OTHER NATIONS

Drawing comparisons with global powers, Umukoro pointed to countries like China, which have built strong educational and technological systems using their indigenous language as the primary medium of instruction.

“You don’t see China abandoning its language in science or innovation. They use it to strengthen national identity and accelerate development,” she said. “Nigeria should learn from that model.”

She also cited India, where over 20 officially recognized languages are used across regions, enabling grassroots innovation and broader inclusion.

“Imagine teaching STEM subjects in Isoko or Urhobo, empowering tech startups through indigenous languages. Development becomes relatable and accessible at the grassroots,” she said.

POLICY BACKING FOR MOTHER-TONGUE INSTRUCTION

Corroborating her stance, former education administrator and linguist, Mr. Earnest Ayerin Oluwafemi, referenced Nigeria’s National Policy on Education (2014), which recognizes language as a tool for social cohesion and cultural preservation.

“It is categorically stated that every child should learn the language of their immediate environment and one of the three major Nigerian languages — Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba,” he said.

According to him, children learn faster and comprehend better when taught in a familiar language.

“A child is born into the mother tongue. From infancy, that is the language they hear and speak. Teaching such a child in that same language enhances understanding and retention,” he explained.

He referenced late educationist Babs Fafunwa, who advocated teaching science subjects in indigenous languages even at the secondary school level to promote deeper comprehension.

Oluwafemi added that countries such as Japan and China have successfully modernized without abandoning their linguistic heritage.

CULTURAL IDENTITY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

For retired civil servant and language teacher, Mr. Samuel Abosede, the issue extends beyond academics.

“Losing a language means losing identity, traditions and history,” he warned, lamenting the growing tendency to label mother tongues as “vernacular” and treat them as inferior.

He cautioned that continued neglect could result in cultural reversal, where future generations depend on foreigners to teach them their own languages.

“In the future, we may need these languages and find no one left to teach them. By then, it will be too late to correct the error,” he said.

Abosede urged governments at all levels to make indigenous language instruction compulsory and to promote their use in legislative houses, media and technology sectors.

This year’s World Mother Language Day theme, “Youth Voices on Multilingual Education,” resonates strongly in Nigeria, where young professionals are increasingly creating digital content in local languages.

From podcasts to tech innovations, youths are demonstrating how indigenous languages can thrive in modern spaces — reinforcing the argument that language is not a barrier to progress, but a bridge to inclusive development.

As Nigeria commemorates World Mother Language Day 2026, experts agree on one central message: relegating indigenous languages in education is not only a cultural loss but a strategic mistake.

With more than 500 languages, Nigeria possesses immense linguistic capital. Harnessing that diversity through structured multilingual education, they argue, can boost cognitive development, promote unity, preserve heritage and drive sustainable national growth.

In the words of Umukoro: “Languages are bridges. When we protect them, we empower our people and strengthen our future.”