The National Institute For Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, has appealed to the 36 state governors to help preserve various indigenous languages in their state by investing in the research and teaching of such languages.

The appeal was made by the Executive Director of the institute, Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha, during the seventh matriculation ceremony of the institute for the admission of students into the undergraduate, diploma, Nigeria Certificate in Education and postgraduate programmes.

Onuoha said NINLAN is glad to see that graduates of non-Nigerian language courses are quickly converting to Nigerian languages to make their life careers working in Nigerian languages. He however lamented that out of over 500 indigenous languages in Nigeria, almost 400 of them are not being studied anywhere and are not undergoing any development and are currently in danger of going extinct.

The Executive Director also said that NINLAN has developed curricula for 12 Nigerian indigenous languages and are currently making moves to develop more to help the teaching of Nigerian languages. He explained also that NINLAN, together with a Chinese firm, is currently developing a keyboard for Nigerian indigenous languages, which will translate into the availability and visibility of publications in Nigerian languages.