The indispensability of indigenous languages in the preservation of African values

Abstract

Value system is the cultural outlook of a people and the understanding of the value system is the understanding of the belief system and cultural system of the people in question. Every society has a set of values covering every aspect of human endeavour. These values are the guiding principles found in any society and they cover the whole ramifications of the society. The values apparently play regulating roles in human relationship and also stabilizing factor of the society. Africa has existed as a continent even before the colonial era, with its own value system despite its multi-ethnic nature. Africa has value system that is in consonance with her environment and condition. These values make a comprehensive system which gives African man a holistic outlook. It is sad to note that Africans are now engaged in the process of completely abandoning their value system by trying to embrace another value system. There is an urgent need to appreciate and preserve the value system by which Africans are known. This paper views indigenous languages as indispensible if the African values must be preserved. This is important as language is an essential part of, and intrinsically linked to indigenous people's ways of life, culture and identities. Languages embody many indigenous values and concepts and contain indigenous peoples' distinctiveness and cohesiveness as a people. Nations stay together when citizens share enough values and preferences and can communicate with each other. It is argued that language is the carrier of the cultural heritage of societies thus the death of a language constitutes the annihilation of norms, values, attributes and beliefs of a people.