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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The 105th Inaugural lecture of the Delta State University, Abraka in Ethiope East LGA was held on Thursday March 28, 2024 with a call on the Federal Government and Nigerians to protect their indigenous languages from gradual extinction.
Delivering the university’s 105th Inaugural lecture titled, ‘Ramifications of New Englishes on Nigerian Languages: Urhobo As Case Study’, the inaugural lecturer, Prof. Macaulay Mowarin, a professor of Syntax and Contact Linguistics of the Department of English and Literary Studies, told the academic community and guests that Nigeria as one of the eight multilingual and multicultural countries of the world has 517 indigenous languages.
The inaugural lecturer went further to describe “Englishes” as the international acculturation of English language in West Africa, Southern Africa, and South Asia where English is a localized form, adding that the acculturation has only helped to endanger our indigenous languages especially in complex multilingual and multicultural speech communities in the world, of which the Urhobo language is one of them.
Prof. Mowarin however concluded his lecture by calling on Urhobo people to develop a positive attitude toward the Urhobo language and culture in order to revitalize the language and culture.
He also advised that symmetrical multilingualism should be embraced by Urhobo people as form of communication between parents and their children and amongst all Urhobo people in any occasion or meeting. This according to him would foster intergenerational transmission of Urhobo language from parents to their children and protect the language from gradual extinction.
In his address during the academic event, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga who also doubled as the chairman of the inaugural lecture described the lecturer, Prof. Macaulay Mowarin as a great scholar and researcher and also as a world class linguistic.
Hear him: “Prof. Macaulay Mowarin is a great scholar and researcher in this university. He’s also a world class linguistic whose academic contributions to the development, promotion and protection of Nigerian and other African languages are second to none.
“He has made us to understand through his lecture that language is like a seed planted. It grows, matures and dies. Therefore, my advice to all of us here and to all Nigerians is to protect our indigenous languages from death by speaking them to our children as form of communication especially those in urban areas. Once again, I want to thank our inaugural lecturer and all our invited guests for making this event a huge success.”
The inaugural lecture however ended with the presentation of the University’s Distinguished Honorary Medal to the inaugural lecturer, Prof. Macaulay Mowarin by the vice chancellor, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga in the presence of the University Senate and other senior lecturers of the school.
The academic event was attended by the VC, DVCs, deans of faculties, heads of departments, school registrar, staff and students. Others were the president-general of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Chief Ese Gam, Ekiti traditional ruler, Mrs. Margaret Etarobuko Mowarin, wife of the inaugural lecturer, families and friends of the inaugural lecturer and other guests.
