Answer:
The English language is well acknowledged to be one of
the most important legacies left behind by the British in
Anglophone Africa. With specific reference to Nigeria,
Ayo Bamgbose declares: “Of all the heritage left behind
in Nigeria by the British at the end of the colonial
administration, probably none is more important than the
English language” (Bamgbose, 1971: 35). The language
came through the contacts the English-speaking people
had with Africa through different means. These means
include exploration where various explorers like Mungo
Park, Clapperton, the Lander Brothers (John and Richard
Lander), in the course of their business, brought
elements of English to this part of the world through
interaction with the Africans along the coast. There was
also commerce: in which the British, following the
Portuguese and the Dutch, dominated trade in the
relevant societies, both in terms of trade in commodities,
namely agricultural produce in exchange for
manufactured goods, and in terms of trade in humans
(the Slave Trade).
The Christian religion was a major factor that implanted
English in Nigeria. With the roles of the British explorers
and traders, English was essentially a “foreign language”,
in that it was used mainly for communication with the
visiting foreigners or by the few Africans who travelled to
the rest of the Anglophone world. Nevertheless, with the
missionaries, the language became a “second language”
in that there was now a conscious effort to teach English
to the Africans so that it could be used for
communication, not just with the Europeans, but with
fellow Africans, especially in evangelism. Colonialism
brought the implantation of English to a head in that,
besides the establishment of government schools, it also
evolved policies in terms of grants-in-aid often tied to the
quantity and quality of English taught in government and
missionary schools. However, there was equally the
institutionalization of English as a medium of instruction
and other measures aimed at encouraging the learning
and use of English
Explanation:
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