Wise Academic Thinkers Initiative Association

Signed and approved by WATIA President. Maaju Bah

And Secretary General. Alie Mohamed Waggeh

WHY English?

26 /08/ 2022

BY: SIKU DIARY JALLOH

Language is one of the most important tools in society. It is among the few seeds of development that carved man into the most powerful being in the ecosystem. We came here all alone and met a lot of people from whom we learned lots and lots of skills and talents. But should I slap the point on its face, we learned the language(s), too, from the people we met in our ecology. We also learned how to eat, drink, use the restroom, sleep, and many more habits we hug today. These skills came naturally to us for we inculcated them ordinarily.

But there is a big problem in certain parts of our ecology: the construction of a system that has kicked many humans from the equation of success, greatness, and intelligence as a result of their inability to communicate in certain languages. In many African countries and Sierra Leone to be specific, if you cannot read, write and speak ENGLISH eloquently, you are a “stupid person”. We have forgotten that the art of speaking is a gift that is there just to help us SOCIALIZE adequately. We have also forgotten that the art of communicating accurately is not the only sign of intelligence and craftiness.

We have also forgotten that the art of speaking English eloquently is not a must for human development. Countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the Netherlands, etc are all great non-English speaking countries that have proudly seated up the lather, too. English is just like any other “LOCAL LANGUAGE” we hold on to our tongue. Should I protest right from here, why should we call our natural tongues “LOCAL” and that of another continent “INTERNATIONAL”? My mother always tells me that “u wai get you deble, na u day make dem fear ram”. By that, she implies that life is about packaging and that if you do not respect what you have, nobody would respect it for you.

I don’t want to jump to a conclusion right from this point, but it is as a result of this that our “LOCAL LANGUAGES’ are treated as shit in the world today. If you shake the wrinkled hands of history, you would discover that the “gallant almighty English” we bluff with today was nothing before the 5th century. To an extent, if we kiss these old hands of history, gently, we would discover that English only paraded to reach every (most) corner(s) of the world during the 18th century as a result of the effort made by the British to “educate” their colonies.

Upon reaching their colonies, they faced a gross challenge – the language barrier. This problem proudly prevented them from swiftly socializing with their subjects as a result of their inability to comprehend each other’s tongue. Hence, the British decided to forcefully wed us to their “civilized language” – English. They opened schools, melted our tongue, and fogged it into a new kind of sward that they used to brush our bushes and plant their seeds of “development” and “civilization”. To their well-planned trap, we fell in the name of “they like us!” Upon their reach, our rich land was stolen. But what pains me the most is the fact that our brains were stolen, too! How pitiful is it that they bagged our went with it?

In their presence, the new language they brought became the ultimate requisite to climb the leather of greatness and dine with them in the proud rooms of the moon and the great stars of our constellation. Upon their departure, they left the “revamped home” into the hands of the elites: the people who had inculcated their language by humbly gliding through their schooling system. To maintain the power they had attained from the reach of all MAN, the elites added the standards and paid more emphasis to the usage of the language. They made those who cannot wrestle well with the language – English – appear to be stupid and dumb.

With that, in every formal public gathering, the Queen’s language is worshiped. For instance, the president and his men speak English all the time and “all the where”. To the extent, that even when the president addresses the nation, he does so in English. ALL HAIL ENGLISH!!!!! Should I ask, in Sierra Leone, between Krio and English, which is the most spoken? Krio, of cause!! But why is it that our president always addresses the nation in English? We only hear the elite “talk” – not speak – Krio during campaign seasons. During these moments, they want the populace to fathom every bit of information they spit.

But why must Mr. President punish my poor father anytime he speaks? Why must he always speak the “big big” English that my father cannot understand? I have always been the interpreter of your profound and impeccable speech, Sir! My father wants to understand you: why not you speak that which he can understand – Krio. The problem of the language barrier that the white man feared is now dangling our society with broad cheeks and iron teeth. Don’t tell me that Mr. President and his MEN should speak English to benefit the international world! At least, it was the citizens – the local people – who elected the president to office. So should he address them, he should do so in a simple language that they all can comprehend – with the aid of no interpreter. If the international world wants to benefit from the speech, let them find interpreters. This might have employed a few Sierra Leoneans.

I remember one morning when I was watching the news on CNN, I saw the president of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy – in an interview, struggling with English. He could not speak it well. He had bad grammar and all. But that was all okay by his people. They did not see him as a stupid or unintelligent being. Not too long, he switched to their local language and addressed the questions that he was asked. Upon seeing that, I felt at home. I wished that my country’s people can do the same.

How excellent would it have been if I were to learn in my mother tongue – FULLAH! I would have gotten no problems with the “was”, and the “were” and accurate concord placement in my mother’s tongue for this is a language that I inculcated during my breastfeeding: I felt and understood this tongue in my Maaama’s breast milk.

But haaaa! I am proud to say that I have understood this language well: I can fluently and efficiently read, write and speak the Queen’s language with humble hands in my pocket and gentle eyes closed. But how unfortunate are those who have fallen off their schooling because they cannot make a C6 or better English grade in WASSCE? They have become dropouts parading the street with empty heads. Of them are ladies who have dropped to be prostitutes and guys who have subjected themselves to drug abuse and rum drinking. From one bar to another, they pose and pipe with their kind.

Let us understand that English is not the mother of languages: it is just a tool for socialization. Let us note that English is not the mother of tongues but the mother’s tongue to some. Let us learn it as much as possible, but let us understand that it is not a tool through which we should judge human intelligence and excellence. Those who know it should be respected for acquiring a skill that is vital for international socialization. But also, those who do not know it should be respected with that which they know – their mother tongue.

ALL HAIL AFRICA!!!

ALL HAIL OUR LOCAL LANGUAGES!!!

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