NAN-H-63
Language
By Taiye Baiyerohi
Lagos, Jan.27, 2017 (NAN) The Director General, Centre for Black Arts and African Civilisation (CBAAC), Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, on Friday called on the Nigerian media to report news in dialects.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Anikwe said that many media houses were not making efforts in that direction.
He claimed that the Nigeria Television Authority, which was casting news in about nine dialects in the past, had stopped.
The director-general said that news dissemination in local languages was part of the huge role of the mass media in language development.
He noted that language development was a function of the environment, circumstances and time.
Anikwe urged that newspapers publishers should devote some columns to daily write-ups in different indigenous languages.
He, however, commended the Lagos State Television Station for presenting news bulletins in some indigenous dialects.
“This will enliven the indigenous languages and enable those who cannot speak English – which is a western language – to understand what is happening in the society.
“The media need to make efforts in ensuring that indigenous languages do not die by utilising these languages in news reporting.
“Let us go back to the time we used to have our news casts in different languages.
“All television stations should pick this up; print media also should present news in indigenous languages.
” We can have this on Channels Television, Africa Independent Television, Silverbird Television and more,” he urged.(NAN)
PTB/TO/IGO
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(Edited by Tola Okinbaloye/Ijeoma Popoola)