Someone posed this issue on social media: "EF" stands for Education First, which is an international education organization that focuses on language learning, educational travel, cultural exchange, and academic programs. According to the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), Cameroon is ranked 94th in English proficiency. Nigeria was ranked 27th, and Romania took 15th place. Note: Romania was never colonised by Britain.
Then, someone ASKED: Nigeria is doing well, but why is Romania doing better than Nigeria when they were never colonised by the British? Why is Cameroon doing so much worse than Nigeria?
----------------------------------------
Another participant of the above discussion ANSWERED: It all has to do with attitude. Africans are playing the protest culture, which is concerned with language resistance. Language resistance is an Achebic concept that has yet to benefit Africa. However, his books have benefited Nigerian universities on a small scale and British publishing companies on a gigantic scale. The Father of Modern African Literature did a great job, but Africans should think for themselves because he made his name by writing and speaking English, not pidgin. Let us look at ourselves as individuals and ask, "What can I do to serve the African continent in my own way?" If your way means working in a different direction than Chinua Achebe, so be it. The common man follows great men so blindly that he can't make a difference.
----------
MY THOUGHTS: THAT IS INTERESTING, AND I CONCUR.
I was recently in Romania and I was greatly impressed by the number of young adults who speak English quite well. I suppose it is because a) few people outside Romania speak Romanian and b) because English still plays (even after Brexit) an important role as a lingua franca in Europe. Regarding Nigeria, English is one of the official languages there (alongside Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo). Many African states seem to be turning towards Russia and China, politically and economically, at the moment. Does that mean that the learning of Mandarin and Russian will increase dramatically? Probably not. Instead, English will be used in Africa-Russia and Africa-China communication a lot of the time.
Brian Poole What an amazing observation. Few people around the world speak any African language. We all know the English is here to stay. However, English is not taught properly in the former English colonies in Africa, and we also have a lot of excuses not to learn the language. We are not aware of the huge financial benefits. The pronounciation is wrong, and graduates do not want to read novels. I am working with a few authors (from all over the world) to sponsor a grassroots program in Nigeria to encourage individuals to continually improve their English, all tied with commercial benefits.
English was taught in a hurry during colonisation, during a period of resistance. Romanians learn English from their free will, as a financial tool, using correct language rules. I know that this is no excuse for Africans not making renewed efforts in today's world.
Brian Poole Russia and China themselves learn English more seriously than Africans. English isn't going away any time soon. Brexit was sad, though. It was like the world falling apart. We hope for African Unity some day, but it oribably has a hidden aganda.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Computer Science
- Research Topics