The Role of Language in Sustaining Cultural Identity Among Ijaw Youths in Delta State

Language is among the most powerful markers of ethnic identity, and for minority language communities such as the Ijaw in Delta State, the relationship between language vitality and cultural identity affiliation among younger generations has become increasingly precarious amid English dominance and urban Nigerian Pidgin expansion. This study examines the role of Ijaw language competence and use in sustaining cultural identity among Ijaw youths aged fifteen to thirty in Warri and Burutu LGAs of Delta State. A mixed-methods design combined a cultural identity and language use questionnaire administered to two hundred and twenty respondents with focus group discussions involving thirty participants and in-depth interviews with ten community elders. Identity measures assessed ethnic pride, cultural practice participation, and self-concept, while language measures assessed Ijaw proficiency, daily use frequency, and domain-specific use patterns. Regression analysis indicates that Ijaw language proficiency is a significant predictor of cultural identity strength, explaining thirty-one percent of variance in cultural identity scores after controlling for age, gender, and community size. Focus group data reveal that youths with higher Ijaw proficiency report more active participation in traditional ceremonies, fishing community protocols, and elders' governance structures, suggesting that language anchors cultural practice participation. Youths with lower Ijaw proficiency express cultural identity more through symbolic markers such as dress and food preference than through active linguistic practice. Keywords: language and identity, Ijaw language, cultural identity, Delta State, youth language use.