IMPACT OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AS A PRE-REQUISITE FOR ETHNIC INTEGRATION IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the impact of indigenous language as a pre-requisite for ethnic integration in Osun State, Nigeria. The study employed descriptive survey research design where questionnaire was used to acquire necessary data for the research work. Population comprises of all primary schools in Ayedade Local Government, Osun State. Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select ten (10) primary schools in Ayedade Local Government, Osun State, Nigeria. Fifteen (15) teachers were randomly selected from each of the chosen school to make a total of one hundred and fifty (150) teachers as sample for the study. Two (2) research hypotheses were raised and tested in this study. Reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha. The statistical techniques were employed to analyze the data in order to test the hypotheses, Mean, Standard deviation, t-ratio. The research findings concluded that the use of indigenous languages is central to the holistic development of any nation and the issue of indigenous languages be handled with total commitment and seriousness. It was further revealed that, local language is the pride of any Nation’s development that promote cultural heritage so as not to go into extinction. The paper therefore recommended that, a body of committed linguists be set up in Nigeria and that amendment of National Policy on Education be done to integrate the use of indigenous language for teaching-learning purposes across all levels of education in Nigeria and Nigerian indigenous languages should be made official languages at state levels while maintaining English language as the official language at the federal level.