When I got Microsoft’s invitation to the Local Language Programme (LLP) in Abuja, I almost dismissed it because of the pressure on my time at the moment. but after speaking with the Citizenship Manager and reading the details of what was to be done, I gave it a thought. The last straw came when I saw the volume of work (close to 600 pages) that had been done with the glossaries!

Led by another Microsoft partner, Alt-i (led by one of my long-time mentors, Dr. Tunde Adegbola), the work that was presented by the Minister of Education at the Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre Board Room in Abuja included the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba translations of glossaries that have now laid the foundation for the integration of these local languages into the Vista and Microsoft Office environment. Imagine working on your machine and speaking Igbo to your machine when asking it to shut down. Or, click in Yoruba. How about caps lock in Hausa?

The minister’s keynote, which she clearly stated was coming from her as a research person and not as minister (I like that!), was quite insightful. She touched on Nigeria’s lack of a Language Policy and the fact that our National Policy on Education actually states that every child must be taught using their local language as language of instruction for the first 3 years of primary school. Such a brilliant way of keeping languages alive but our schools think it’s “local”. I look forward to the day that policy will be implemented, it’ll help many of us stay connected to the root. It is NOT cool to be unable to speak your local language!

Nigeria’s young people are everywhere across the world. I have met Nigerians in countries where I assumed there would be none! One major error, though, is the way we often consider our local language something meant for the back burner. Truth is that civilizations that were able to internalize technology in their local languages have been able to make more sense of it. Just imagine how much details are lost when you translate a proverb into English… While we master the language that would help us communicate on a global level, we must build content in our local language and extend the perimeters of innovation through that.

The glossary translations are available for download on PIN’s website through these links: Hausa | Igbo | Yoruba. Please feel free to provide feedback through nigeriallp[at]live.co.uk!

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