Language Is Such An Important Tool For Self Expression That We Can't Afford To Get It Wrong! By Darren Idongesit




I am bilingual and do feel annoyed when people get the spellings of our names wrong especially on purpose as a "posh" statement.

Language is such an important tool for self expression that we can't afford to get it wrong.

Don't tell me English language is not your language, if you don't master even your indigenous language, how will you express yourself in the comity of nation states such as Nigeria?

I see Yorubas spelling Olamide as Horlamide and Bimbo as Bimbor, why?

Don't deface your names.

As we have decided to relegate English language as a means of sustainable communication we inadvertently insult ourselves when we throw around the word "tribe."

You insult yourself and your ancestors by calling your people a mere "tribe."

You wouldn't change or find a politically correct term for describing your pseudo nation-state because English is not your language.

Imagine a Bini man from a prestigious history calling the people of Edo state 'tribe!'

The Binis conquered the Esans, had settlements in Eko, got tributes from Warri and you tell me the people of Bini are a mere tribe?

It's an ethnic group and I understand your lazy concerns about replacing a single word with a two-word noun but your dignity and the honour of your people should motivate you in according some respect to them.

Tribe enforces certain African stereotypes that connote primitiveness or backwardness.

We don't have tribes, we have ethnic groups.

You are not some kinta kunta tribesman, you are a dignified human being with an ethnicity.

Imagine saying a tech-savvy entrepreneur in a bustling city like Lagos belongs to a tribe?

You could as well call the millionaire a tribal bushman, right?

He is African after all so using a dignified term need not apply.

The etymology of words and contemporary trends matter dear friends and the use of tribe has serious negative connotations, if you want to speak a language, at least don't debase yourself.
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