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Preservation of languages, Nigeria asked to follow the footsteps of China

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Preservation of languages, Nigeria asked to follow the footsteps of China

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria has been asked to follow in the footsteps of China in language preservation to avert indigenous languages in the country from going into extinction.

The advice was given by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. James Sule during an interview with journalists by the sideline of the International Chinese Language Day organized by the China Cultural Center celebrated in Abuja.

interview with journalists on Saturday in Abuja during

Sule said there are about 250 ethnic groups and approximately 512 languages spoken in Nigeria, the urgency to protect and revitalize these languages has never been more pressing.

He added that China’s proactive steps, including the establishment of language schools, cultural centres, and the integration of indigenous languages into educational curricula, serve as a blueprint for Nigerian policymakers.

Sule said: “Nigeria indigenous language is fast dying and we need to join all hands on deck to prevent it through sensitization.

“We realize that the younger generation are no longer familiar with their indigenous languages so we have to have a curriculum where we teach every geopolitical zone the languages that are there.

“We must not be ashamed of our language, not just the three major languages but others too.

“Teachers can learn and teach our indigenous language to ensure that they are preserved and passed onto the next generation,”he said.

In his remarks, the Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Mr Li Xuda, said that language is a great creation of mankind, It witnesses the evolution and development of human civilization.

He added that language is not just a means of communication but also a vital component of cultural identity and heritage.

He said: “For example, the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria have been teaching Chinese over 10 years since its establishment in 2013.

“Many friends living or working in Abuja find their chances to learn Chinese here in our cultural centre.

“In my eyes, Nigeria is the cradle of African Civilization with about 250 ethnic groups and 500 languages, including Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba.

“While we celebrate “International Chinese Language Day'”, never forget to celebrate Nigeria’s amazing languages, which are definitely important parts of world culture.

“By investing in language preservation efforts and encouraging bilingual education, Nigeria can create a more inclusive society that values and celebrates its linguistic diversity,”Li said.

On his part, Director General National Gallery of Art, Mr Ahmed Sodangi,, commended the Chinese government’s resilience in preserving its language towards UN acknowledgement by making it an International Day worth celebrating.

He added that to prevent the looming threat of indigenous language extinction, the Nigerian government must adopt measures similar to China’s successful language preservation efforts.

“China’s proactive approach in safeguarding its linguistic heritage has set a precedent worth emulating,especially in a country as linguistically diverse as Nigeria.

“We can urge the Federal Government to set aside days we can celebrate the various language across all the cultures in Nigeria.

“We should also embed it in our homes. Every parent should take responsibility in teaching children their indigenous languages and the school systems too so that our students can understand the basics.”

Preservation of languages, Nigeria asked to follow the footsteps of China

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Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission

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Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe state Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, and Chiroman Gujba have been commended for doing the best thing for selecting Hon. Jibrin Maigari, Commissioner, Federal Character Commission, representing Yobe state.

The commendation was made by the executive chairman of the Nangere local government council, Hon. Samaila Musa FICN, while receiving the commissioner of the federal character commission, Hon. Jibrin Maigari, who was on a sensitization visit in his office.

He said Hon. Maigari is performing excellently because since this commission was created, we have never gotten the federal commissioner who has brought something tangible to Yobe, because in the past five years we have seen the result when he assumed office.

Musa maintained that, “His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, has done the right thing by appointing the right person in the right place, because I was a director in the federal service. I know how difficult it is to secure employment for the teeming youths.

He advised that His Excellency, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, should continue to put the right people in that place so that the right people will be employed. Adding that, before I came here, I had something in mind that we have youths who have completed their secondary education, and they could not secure admission into tertiary institutions.

According to the chairman, these youths performed; they had gotten the requirements to be admitted, but because of the family background of the family, they could not, and they feel that the local government should bring a package whereby the youth will compile their CVs and go to university, polytechnic, or college of education to secure admission for them.

“We have graduates who are diploma holders, NCE, HND, and degree holders. There is nothing doing; I had to believe that we are going to adopt entrepreneurial activity within Nangere, training them three months after training them. We come up with different varieties of skills for them to engage in different businesses and activities,” he said.

“So by doing that, we are able to train 500 youths, and at the end of the day, every youth will be able to engage four people, so plus him, there are five. So you multiply five times five hundred, and you have 2,500 employed, and we called it a blue-collar job because what a cola job these days is too easy. So we have to develop a plan or strategies whereby the youth must survive.

The chairman said we have a work plan already, and very soon we are going to develop it, because we have adopted that in the 2025 budget, and very soon, by the second quarter, we are going to embark on it. He noted that I have already discussed with the consultancy services of Yobe State University in that regard.

Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission

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World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State

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World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State

By: Yahaya Wakili

The Yobe State Executive Council has noted the delivery of healthcare equipment to the state donated by World Medical Relief in the United States. These equipment include hospital beds, infusion pumps, patient monitors, surgical instruments, and tools, amongst others.

Governor Mai Mala Buni CON disclosed this yesterday while chairing the first State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Damaturu.

The governor spoke about his administration’s human capital development effort, adding that in 2024, many people across the state were reached with various forms of support, particularly the students sent to India for undergraduate studies.

Briefing the newsmen on the outcome of the Exco meeting, The state Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information, and Culture, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, said the governor reflected on the preceding year, noting it as one in which the state government was able to execute many projects and programs that have positive impacts on the lives of the people of the state.

He said the government has also built four modern sesame seed processing factories in Machina, Nguru, Potiskum, and Damaturu, and all of them have been completed 100% and will be commissioned soon.

In addition, all local government areas cut off by last year’s rains, especially in the northern part of the state, have been repaired and vehicular traffic restored, and the state government is also currently constructing a road from Potiskum to Ngojin and from Fadawa to Daya in the Fika local government area.

World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State

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NAF AIRSTRIKES NEUTRALIZE SCORES OF BANDITS HIBERNATING AT ALAWA FOREST IN SHIRORO LGA OF NIGER STATE

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NAF AIRSTRIKES NEUTRALIZE SCORES OF BANDITS HIBERNATING AT ALAWA FOREST IN SHIRORO LGA OF NIGER STATE

By: Olusola F Akinboyewa

The Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (AC OPFY) has recorded another significant achievement in its counter-terrorism campaign, neutralising scores of bandits and dismantling their logistics base at Alawa Forest in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. This operation, conducted on 21 January 2025, was based on credible intelligence and follow-up confirmatory aerial surveillance efforts which indicated an influx of armed terrorists into the forest. These criminals were linked to widespread violence, including two Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks on 19 December 2024 in Bassa, Shiroro LGA, which claimed several innocent lives.

In response, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) launched a three-day sustained air operation, code-named KONAN DAJI, to degrade the terrorists’ capabilities and render the forest unhabitable for them. To this end, AC OPFY dispatched a formation of fighter aircraft to execute air interdiction missions in the area. Upon arrival, the jets swiftly engaged the identified targets with precision strikes, neutralising numerous armed fighters and destroying their logistics base, as confirmed by multiple secondary explosions.

The NAF, in close coordination with ground forces, remains resolute in its commitment to maintaining operational dominance across the region. Sustained efforts are underway to eliminate all criminal elements from Alawa Forest and surrounding areas, ensuring lasting peace and security for communities in Niger State and beyond.

NAF AIRSTRIKES NEUTRALIZE SCORES OF BANDITS HIBERNATING AT ALAWA FOREST IN SHIRORO LGA OF NIGER STATE

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