Securing Nigeria's Future and Security Through Indigenous Languages for Sustainable Development

Language is land and land are language or better still language is culture and culture is language. It is in this light that this paper examines the importance of maintaining and revitalizing indigenous languages (especially Hausa), which in turn, will ensure the future and security of Nigeria particularly in this time of humanitarian and climate crises. Thusly, the paper starts by conceptualizing indigenous languages as well as looking at Hausa as an indigenous language. The paper also examines why indigenous languages are important. It also assesses the effects of colonization on indigenous languages. The paper further dissects the connections/responsibilities embedded in indigenous languages such as the traditional ecological knowledge. As the way forward, the paper looks at how the aforesaid areas could be used to enhance security and national development. Consequently, the paper concludes that because language is culture and culture is language, indigenous languages offer unique ways of understanding and relating to the world and that safe guiding them is vital for addressing the many forms of humanitarian and climate crises besieging Nigeria. As the method, the paper consults relevant multiple sources so as to avoid fallacies, misunderstanding and other shortcomings behind the various positions, with a view to taking a stand on the subject. Base on the conclusion, the paper recommends among others that Nigeria as a country should adopt inclusive policies that will help to preserve the existence of indigenous languages, cultures and knowledge.