Understanding Our Languages: A Path to Unity in Nigeria

I first heard the word while playing Scrabble as a kid. I was about 12 or 13 years old. Back then, we would check words in the Chambers Dictionary. We built our vocab and played Scrabble competitions at the University. I still play today, even if it's just me forming words on a board. Nigeria became the best Scrabble nation in the world in 2025, and that’s impressive. We have some of the best players from the Delta and Edo regions. The South-West and South-South also have great players, though it seems Gen Z is not that into it.

When we looked up words in the Chambers Dictionary, the end of each word had the etymology. This shows where the word comes from. Most English words come from Latin, French, German, and other languages. Etymology tells a story about a people’s history, their origins, and who they interacted with. It is a study in anthropology, and many scholars focus on it. The link between English and other influences from places like Normandy, Saxony, Rome, Greece, Denmark, and Norway explains why the British Crown has connections to these nations. The House of Tudor has ties to many countries in Europe, even Russia.

Some Nigerian scholars are studying this area, but their work is often limited to specific groups, like two kingdoms or the Igbos and Yorubas. I think a nationwide study would help our economy. If we took ourselves seriously, we could trace our interconnections and histories like the British have done.

I was at the African Economists Conference in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, a few weeks ago. While talking to a lady from northern Ghana, her colleague mentioned that Ghanaians don’t see tribalism the way we do in Nigeria. I know that’s not entirely true, but Ghanaians seem less obsessed with tribal differences. In northern Ghana, there are Hausa speakers. President John Mahama is one. He is a Christian, yet his brother is a Muslim. There seems to be more mixing among Ghanaians than in Nigeria. But when you visit places like Niima, you can still see the tribal differences. We really need to slow down on our endless tribal conflicts.

These days, many people believe that Nigerians are their own worst enemies. Social media and misinformation have led many Nigerians to criticize their own country. Some do this because they feel no loyalty to Nigeria. This has become common, especially among young adults. Social media has turned some people into influencers, and those with the most followers can sway many into ignorance. There is a current talk about an ‘Olodo Uprising’ where wealthy people can bully educated folks while showing off their money. The idea is to prove that money is all that matters. This is a sad situation.

We need to think about where things went wrong. I believe we got our independence too easily, so it feels almost worthless to us. Countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Angola, South Africa, and Mozambique can tell us about their struggles for freedom. We mistakenly thought that because we are the largest nation among black people and found oil, we are better than others. Early coups and the civil war deepened divides among us. We became more aware of our differences instead of celebrating our similarities. Our common histories, languages, and cultural exchanges can help us unite and thrive as a nation.

We cannot succeed by putting others down or claiming our culture is better than others. That is foolishness. In today’s globalized world, we cannot afford to be narrow-minded. We cannot ask others to accept us while we discriminate against one another based on tribe or religion.

I have been thinking about etymology for a long time and encouraging scholars to do this important work. Nigeria is full of colors and cultures. I have decided that if no one else does this work of unity, I will do it myself someday. I want to show that we are one and that our ancestors had respect for each other. They interacted more than we do today, even though we have many ways to communicate.

The debate continues between the Binis and Yoruba about who is older. That isn’t the main point, but many words are similar in both languages. I once casually said ‘Tule’ around an Edo person, and he was surprised because it means ‘run’ in both languages.

Between the Igbos and Yorubas, especially northern Yorubas, there are many similar words. The word for stone is Okwute in Igbo and Okuta in Yoruba. Aka means hand in both languages. Ala in Igbo and Ale in northern Yoruba mean land. Onu in Igbo is the same in northern Yoruba. There are many words that have the same meaning, even if they are pronounced a bit differently. That’s etymology for you.

The link between Yoruba and Igala is also interesting. When counting from one to ten, six or seven numbers sound the same. Both languages are tonal, making it easy for people from both groups to learn each other's languages. The Okun Yorubas in Kogi have various languages, and one of them from the Kabba area has many similarities with Ijebu language. Yet Ijebu is far away. The Ogori people speak a language similar to Ebira but diverge at some point, with many having Yoruba names even if they don’t speak the language. This is common among the Akoko-Edos. The Akokos in Ondo State speak different languages, and some speak unique languages that few can understand.

In the East, in parts of Abia, men are called Ette, as they are in Akwa Ibom and Cross River. In Abiriba, names like Edem are also used in Akwa Ibom and Cross River languages. The problem arises when we try to claim ownership of words or languages to show superiority. I believe everyone borrows from everyone. Research will show that languages influence one another. In many towns, languages in border communities borrow from neighbors. No language exists without influence from others. No culture is without borrowing or lending.

There are also similarities between Hausa and Yoruba languages. Ashana is Ishana (matchstick), and Albarka or Alubarika means blessing, coming from Arabic influence. To Kama means to understand. Yorubas use this as slang with the same meaning. To ‘ji soro’ in Hausa means to fear. In Yoruba, it means to respect or admire, even to fear.

From my studies, Igbo language connects with Idoma. Idoma has some Efik/Ibibio influences. To the west, Igbo connects with Edo through Ika and Anioma people. Nnamdi Azikiwe wrote about how the Onicha people left Edo Kingdom and moved east. This is supported by the names of towns like Onicha Ugbo and Onicha Ukwu, before reaching the big city of Onitsha. Igbos connect with Akwa Ibom through influences from the Abiribas, Ohafia, and Arochukwu people. Yorubas flow into Edo through Akoko Edo, Sobe, and Owan people. Edo influence is strong in the Ose/Owo area of Ondo State, and the Yoruba flow into Kogi State. The word ‘Okun’ is used from Akure to all of Ekiti, but some Okun languages are hard for central Yorubas to understand.

Nigeria is at a crossroads. With the largest population among black nations, Nigeria faces all the issues black people deal with. Managing a large population is tough. Managing diversity is another challenge. Managing many illiterate people is hard. Managing resources and those who want to steal them is difficult.

Once, I was in Itapaji Ekiti, close to Kogi State, and I couldn’t understand their language. The Okun language is similar to Ijebu but flows into Kogi languages like Ogori and Ebira. The Igala language resembles central Yoruba more. The Nupes have interacted with Yorubas, and many Nupes live in Lagos. Nupes and Yoruba languages share many similarities. In the Plateau, Taraba, and Adamawa regions, the cultural diversity is stunning. But we also find similarities that tell important stories.

Let’s think about our future in Africa. Part of Nigeria’s security issues come from how African nations were divided. Border communities were split, with some in Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin, while others are in Nigeria. In these border areas, people don’t see each other with suspicion just because they belong to different countries. They speak the same language and worship together. They trace their ancestry back hundreds of years, which unites them more than anything else. This is true along Nigeria’s 4,000-kilometer border. The communities by the Atlantic Ocean have always shared similarities in language and culture.

This means achieving economic growth in Nigeria is more complex than we often think. A key factor in development is a people’s culture and history. We must cooperate and see each other as one. Nigeria is at a crossroads. Managing a big population is tough. Managing diversity is another challenge, especially with many illiterate and half-educated people. Managing resources and dealing with those who want to steal them is hard. Fending off espionage and manipulation by older countries takes all our energy. We need to work together.

I visited Cote D’Ivoire recently, and their 8 percent GDP growth shows in new investments and cranes in Abidjan. The key difference is that Ivorian people are calmer than Nigerians. Taxis stop at traffic lights in the morning when no one is watching. I didn’t see a car run a red light. Very few people honked their horns. People knew their roles, and society flowed. I saw the same in Cotonou a few months ago. The airport was clean, and all motorcycle riders wore helmets.

In Nigeria, indiscipline is our default. Many Nigerians seem to look for laws to break. A noisy culture doesn’t help. In other countries, a siren signals an emergency vehicle. Here, it’s often a big man showing off his power. One day, I hope we will come to our senses. But right now, we need to fix our unity and understanding as a nation. The study of our languages and their connections offers hope.

Can someone take on this task? Or do I need to find time in the future to write this book myself?