In a passionate call for linguistic unity across Nigeria and West Africa, US-based Nigerian linguist Professor Alex Igbineweka has championed his creation, the Guosa language, as a potential unifying force for the diverse linguistic groups of Nigeria and the ECOWAS region. Igbineweka, a retired Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) principal secretary, describes Guosa as “the centerpiece of Nigeria and ECOWAS unity.”
Reflecting on his journey, Professor Igbineweka highlighted how his linguistic innovation gained traction in the United States after the Nigerian government failed to embrace it.
“America is, indeed, a land of opportunity,” he said, recalling his invitation from Boston University, Massachusetts, in 1988 to lecture international communities about Guosa.
He expressed disappointment with the Nigerian government’s reluctance to adopt indigenous language development, saying: “The Linguistics Association of Nigeria was not serious about looking inwards by using what we have to achieve what we need. Instead, they were bent on signing up Chinese and foreign languages into the school curriculum at the expense of our indigenous languages, yet we want Nigeria to unite? What a shame of hoping against hopes!”
Igbineweka explained that his inspiration for Guosa came from a desire to promote “peace, unity, identity, political stability, arts, culture, and science” within Nigeria and ECOWAS. The language, he noted, has been accredited by the American government, though similar recognition has eluded him in Nigeria.
His linguistic journey began in his youth. “I started my elementary education at St. Stephen’s School, Benin City, and finished at the Lagos City Council School, Okesuna,” he recalled. Living with his uncle, Oba Erediauwa, during the pre-Civil War era exposed him to various Nigerian languages like Igbo, Efik, and Ibibio. Later, he acquired proficiency in Hausa, Kanuri, and Tiv during his time in Kaduna.
His career spanned roles in the Nigerian Army, Navy, and the NTA, before his talent was recognized abroad. “In 1988, Boston University invited me, followed by the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University,” he explained.
Igbineweka, a member of the World Language Creation Society (LCS), has authored more than eight books on Guosa. These include: “Teach Yourself Guosa Language Book I” (1981), “Teach Yourself Guosa Language Book II” (2000), and “The Complete Dictionary of Guosa Language” (2007).
He emphasized, “Language evolution and creation is my talent, my inspiration, and my stock in trade. For me, one does not have to be a PhD holder to be a scientific language creator.”
Professor Igbineweka urged the Nigerian government to embrace Guosa for linguistic unity, stating: “If only our leaders will humble themselves, put down egos or the English language grammatical camouflaging theories, it will facilitate communication and commerce in Nigeria.”
He highlighted a positive step by the University of Abuja, which offers certificates in Guosa language. “For me, one does not need an English or Chinese certification to qualify as a Guosa linguist; it is from the ECOWAS, for the ECOWAS, and by the ECOWAS.”
He called on the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) to approve degrees in Guosa, asserting that a PhD in Guosa is as valuable as any foreign language qualification.
