By Felix Khanoba
A Professor of Linguistics at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Christine Iyetunde Ofulue, has described Nigerian Pidgin as one of the fastest-growing languages in the world, emphasizing its exceptional scale and influence.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, during NOUN’s 35th inaugural lecture themed: ‘Reclaiming Marginalised Voices: Intersections of Diversity and Educational Spaces,’ Ofulue emphasised Nigeria’s linguistic diversity and the growing significance of Pidgin.
“All languages are equal,” Ofulue said, noting that Nigeria is Africa’s most linguistically diverse nation with about 540 distinct languages across Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, and Niger-Congo families, spoken by over 223 million people.
A statement signed by NOUN’s Director of Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Sheme, quoted Ofulue as saying: “This diversity means that multilingualism is not just common, but a way of life. Nigerians regularly navigate fluidly among local, regional, and national languages.”
While English dominates formal education and administration, Ofulue warned that many minority languages face neglect, endangerment, and diminishing transmission across generations, creating a divide between everyday linguistic reality and official recognition.
At the centre of this dynamic, she said, is Nigerian Pidgin (Naija), a product of centuries of trade and cultural interaction that has grown into a pan-Nigerian language.
Among the world’s 76 pidgins and creoles, Ofulue noted, Nigerian Pidgin stands out for its scale. “It is spoken by 100–120 million people, making it the 14th most spoken language globally,” she said.
She traced its evolution from a colonial trade code to a unifying language of daily life, creative expression, and social connection. “The journey of Nigerian pidgin is not just a story of marginalisation, but also of resilience and reclamation,” Ofulue added, stressing its role as both an urban identity marker and a symbol of national belonging.
On the broader issue of “reclaiming marginalised voices,” Ofulue called for deliberate research and policy interventions, including building learning analytics systems, digitising indigenous knowledge, and carrying out comparative studies within Africa.
She also urged reforms in education to reposition indigenous languages as valuable resources rather than relics. Her recommendations include standardising terminology, developing glossaries for digital and technical fields, and producing multimedia content to engage learners in digital spaces.
Chairman of the lecture series and NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Peters, praised Ofulue for her presentation, even switching to pidgin to the delight of the audience.
On his part, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Isaac Butswat, also commended her for deepening understanding of Nigerian Pidgin’s evolution.
