Vasity Don Identifies Use of Language as Major Cause of Conflicts in Nigeria

By YM Bina

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai (IBBUL) English lecturer and professor of Discourse Analysis and Social Semiotics, Professor Ebenezer Oluseun Ogungbe has identified negative use of language as the major cause of conflicts in Nigeria and globally.

Prof. Ebenezer Ogungbe made this known during the university 27th inaugural lecture titled: Bridling the Unbridled Tongues for Idyllic and Productive Living: A Critical Discourse Analyst’s Yoke held at the institution in Lapai.

He urged Nigerians to desist from the use of vulgar language that induce violence amongst the diverse people, charging citizens not to over hit language to cause disunity, dissaffection, provocative, bias, hatred among others while calling for a polite and civic use of language to ensure sustainable peace and unity in the society.

According to him, “language is by all standards the primary cause of conflicts. Therefore, using it with sense of fairness and responsibility is fundamental to peace building, peace keeping, and peacemaking in Nigeria. Language plays a central role in crisis prevention and national unity. For peaceful and fruitful living, Nigerians must imbibe the culture of using language conscientiously”.

Prof Ogungbe emphasized the need for Nigerians to avoid harmful stereotypes, mindful of the impact of their words, respect for others in communication, demonstrate emotional intelligence while using language, institutions should incorporate peace linguistics in their curricular, journalists should embrace peace journalism among others in the country.

He stressed that such will activate peaceful and productive living and restore lost national unity by making Nigeria a united country, where citizens from diverse backgrounds can actually come together, work towards common goals for better economic growth that will attract investments and create jobs.

In his speech, the (IBBUL) Vice Chancellor Professor Mohammed Hadi Suleiman said that inaugural lecture is to provide a unique opportunity for the newly promoted professors to celebrate an important milestone in their academic career and inform colleagues and the general public about their research work on the current and future research directions.

He noted that the topic: “Bridling the Unbridled Tongues for Idyllic and Productive Living: A Critical Discourse Analyst’s Yoke” was very apt, especially as the country prepare for 2027 electioneering campaign period many Unbridled Tongues have caused social media and political unheaval across the country.

Also speaking, the acting chairman of Senate Committee on Conferences and Seminar, Prof Kabir Mohammed Adamu commended Vice Chancellor’s unwavering determination to the dissemination of knowledge and the pursuit of intellectual growth.

He than announced the appointment of the inaugural lecturer as the new chairman of Senate Committee on Conferences and Seminar of the university.