Nigerian professor calls for adoption of Guosa, homegrown lingua franca, for West Africa

Professor Alex Igbineweka, a US-based Nigerian linguist and creator of the Guosa language, has urged Nigeria and the West African region to adopt Guosa as a lingua franca. He describes the language as “the centerpiece of Nigeria and ECOWAS unity,” offering a unique solution to the region’s linguistic diversity.

Professor Igbineweka, a retired Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) principal secretary, believes that Guosa could foster unity, peace, and progress. However, despite gaining recognition abroad, his efforts have been largely overlooked by the Nigerian government and language experts.

Recalling his experience, he said, “America is, indeed, a land of opportunity,” noting how Boston University invited him in 1988 to lecture international communities about Guosa.

He added, “The Linguistics Association of Nigeria was not serious about looking inwards by using what we have to achieve what we need.”

Driven by a vision for linguistic and cultural integration, Professor Igbineweka developed Guosa to unify the region’s languages and promote identity, political stability, and cultural exchange.

“My inspiration is to promote peace, unity, identity, and science among Nigeria and the ECOWAS region,” he explained. While the American government accredited the language, efforts to secure similar recognition in Nigeria have been fruitless.

Igbineweka’s passion for languages began early. Raised by his uncle, Oba Erediauwa, during the pre-Civil War era, he was exposed to various Nigerian languages, including Igbo, Efik, Ibibio, Hausa, Kanuri, and Tiv. This multicultural upbringing, combined with roles in the Nigerian Army, Navy, and the NTA, fueled his vision for a unified language.

His groundbreaking work has earned him invitations to University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University. He is also a member of the World Language Creation Society (LCS) and has authored over eight books on Guosa, including “Teach Yourself Guosa Language” and “The Complete Dictionary of Guosa Language.”

“Language evolution and creation is my talent, my inspiration, and my stock in trade,” he emphasized, rejecting the notion that a PhD is required to create a scientific language. He praised the University of Abuja for offering certificates in Guosa and called on the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) to recognize Guosa degrees.

Appealing to the government, he said, “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 believes Guosa could be a beacon for regional unity, declaring, “It is from the ECOWAS, for the ECOWAS, and by the ECOWAS.”

As West Africa continues to navigate its linguistic diversity, Professor Igbineweka’s vision for Guosa stands as a compelling homegrown path to unity, identity, and progress.