The United Nations’ Day for Arabic Language is, once again, here. All roads from the northern and southern parts of Nigeria would on Monday December 18, 2023 lead to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, where students, teachers, scholars, speakers (native and non-native), users, and admirers of the world’s richest language would converge to celebrate the only language that is written from right to left; and spoken both on earth and in the heavens.
For those who do not know, Arabic and Arabs aren’t strangers in Borno State where we have the Shua Arabs as Nigerian citizens. The fact that it is the native tongue of the Shua Arabs makes Arabic an indigenous Nigerian language; the strongest of all reasons that informed government’s decision to site the Nigeria Arabic Language Village (NALV) in Ngala. Insurgency, however, forced authorities to relocate the NALV to a temporary complex, the city-campus, in Maiduguri metropolis. We are full of hopes that interventions from the North East Development Commission would soon return the Village back to Ngala.
The World Arabic Language Day (WALD) was established by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010 with a view to promoting cultural diversity and the equal use of its six official working languages throughout the organization. December 18th was chosen as the date for the annual celebration of Arabic Language as it was the day in 1973 when the General Assembly approved Arabic as an official UN Language. Other official languages of the UN General Assembly are English, French, Russian, Spanish and Chinese.
The theme for this year’s Day is “Arabic, the Language of Poetry and Arts.” The choice of this theme may have been inspired by the undeniable beauty and literary treasures of Arabic. This year’s commemoration coincides with the 50th anniversary of the proclamation in 1976 of Arabic as one of the six United Nations (UN) official languages. To mark the 2023 event and further pay tribute to the poetic and artistic brilliance of the Arabic language, the NALV is collaborating with the Academic Society for Arabic Language and Literature in Nigeria (ASALLIN) to bring together researchers, academics, organizations, and institutions to discuss and enlighten the Nigerian public of how Arabic has, across the history of human civilization, continued to shape knowledge and societal transformations through the literary lens of poetry and the arts.
The Nigerian event, which will hold at the Musa Usman Secretariat in Maiduguri is replete with activities including an evening ‘literary banquet’ at the city-campus of the Village; all designed to celebrate the 2023 WALD. While the ‘Pride of Nigerian Professors’ and Governor of Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum who has never missed the yearly gathering would be the Chief Host, the Shehu of Borno His Highness Alhaji Dr Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi will serve as the Royal Father of the Day. Other dignitaries expected to grace the occasion include Khalifa Sheikh Ali Abul-Fatahi who would be there as a Special Guest of Honour, and Prof Mai Muhammad as the Lead paper Presenter. The event would be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor of the Borno State University, Prof Umar Kyari Sandabe. Our eloquent colleague, Dr Taofeeq of the BUK, would be there to deploy his multilingual skills.
This humble writer, who would be the Keynote Speaker at the event, shall highlight on this year’s theme; drawing public attention to the rich cultural heritage and global significance of the Arabic language. All professors (serving and retired) of Arabic in Nigeria would, as distinguished guests, join speakers at the occasion to also showcase the role and impact of Arabic on literature, science and technology. Although not many people and nations including technologically advanced countries associate Arabic language or Arab scholars with the early beginnings of science, probably due to arabophobia or Islamophobia; the contribution of Arab philosophers made mainly through Arabic language to the development of science, medicine, mathematics and literature through ages cannot be denied.
Recall that since 2012 when UNESCO had continued to annually mark the WALD on December 18th in partnership with the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation, the event in Nigeria had always been marked on individual, group or institutional basis; not on the national scale to which Prof Ibrahim Muhammad elevated the WALD since he assumed office as the Director/CEO of the NALV. This colloquium of the WALD annually convened by him has, among a dozen other feats, justifiably earned Prof Ibrahim Muhammad the incontrovertible title of “Chief Advocate of Arabic Language and Culture in Nigeria”. Among persons to be honoured at this year’s event is the former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof Abubakar A. Rasheed.
Arabic is a language with rich history that is spoken by 422 million native speakers and used by about 1.5 billion Muslims around the world including UNESCO’s 22-member states. Researches have shown that more than 7,000 words in the English language are either Arabic or derived from Arabic. While many of such words may now be obscure, at least 500 are still being used in everyday conversations. Cotton, coffee, alcohol, saffron, emir and giraffe are few examples of words borrowed directly or indirectly from Arabic.
Beyond the literary and cultural impacts of Arabic on other languages and societies is its utility of being a tool for building bridges of understanding across religions, cultures and civilizations in Nigeria. For example, a renowned Christian scholar, Isaac Adejoju Ogunbiyi (who after retiring from the university has been living in the United Kingdom), is a Professor of Arabic Literature. Prof. Ogunbiyi is not only a member of the Arabic speaking community in Nigeria but also of the Arab world. Other Christian intellectuals of Arabic in Nigeria include Kole Omotosho (who died in July this year), and Bishop Idowu Feron.
We encourage Nigerian speakers and users of Arabic in every household to join millions of other speakers around the world in celebrating this year’s WALD. To oblige this appeal, households could dedicate a specific period of the day, 30 minutes or one hour on Monday December 18, 2023 during which Arabic shall be the only language of interaction among family members. May Allah (SWT) guide all speakers and users of Arabic to strive with their tongues and pen to preserve the world’s richest language, amin. Happy 2023 Arabic Language Day!!!
Commiseration:
While we mourn those who lost their lives in the bombing of Muslins celebrating Maulid in Tudun Biri community of Kaduna state, we also commiserate with the Palestinian people in the on-going genocide in Gaza.
