Bilingualism and Language Shift Among Igala Young People in Kogi State

This study investigates patterns of bilingualism and language shift among young Igala speakers in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, examining the extent to which Igala language use is being displaced by Nigerian English and Yoruba among the younger generation in urban and peri-urban communities. Language shift, the process by which a community progressively abandons its ancestral language in favour of a more socially dominant language, is a growing concern for many Nigerian minority languages, and Igala, spoken by over two million people primarily in Kogi State, represents a case of particular sociolinguistic interest given its exposure to both the Nigerian English pressure common to all Nigerian languages and the specific regional influence of Yoruba from the South West border. The study employs a sociolinguistic survey design, administering a language use questionnaire and conducting semi-structured interviews with 80 young Igala speakers aged 15 to 30 in Idah, Anyigba, and Lokoja. Analysis examines domain-specific language use patterns across home, peer group, school, religious, and marketplace domains. Findings indicate significant language shift in progress, with English dominant in school and workplace domains and among the 20 to 30 age group in peer social contexts. Igala retention is strongest in the home domain and among youth in Idah, the historical Igala heartland. Parental language transmission attitudes are identified as the most significant factor distinguishing language-maintaining from language-shifting households. Recommendations include community-based Igala language revitalisation initiatives targeting urban young people. Keywords: bilingualism, language shift, Igala, Kogi State, language revitalisation.