Sustaining Nigerian Languages through Use by Imelda Udoh & Eno-Abasi Urua

The goal of the paper is summarized in the title -— “Sustenance of Nigerian Languages through (their) Use” in all facets of life in this age of explosion in technology and information dissemination. We are actually concerned with investing power to these languages, that they may be used in the home, in the society, in the school, in government, in politics, in science and technology, information and communications. While it is true that the introduction of ICT in indigenous communities can cause some clashes between traditions and the
language of technology, it is also true that it can bear very positive fruits. For instance, it can necessitate and promote the development and use of new tools. Such tools can be used to promote, preserve, and strengthen both indigenous languages and cultures to which they are applied. The key terms in this paper are: Sustainable development and Nigerian Languages. We shall explore each of them very briefly, as background for the discussion in the paper.