عقبات انتشار اللغة العربية فى المجتمع النيجيري وتحدياتها : ولاية يوبي نموذجا

Abstract

The aim of this research is to describe the most important challenges and obstacles that prevent the spread of the Arabic language in Nigerian society, and to clarify some of the strategies imposed by the British colonial power in the removal of the Arabic language from the social arena. The research also aims at highlighting the importance of the Arabic language in the application of Islamic law. The significance of the study is to identify the kind of difficulties and challenges of the anti-proliferation of Arabic language in the Nigerian society, and discover appropriate solutions to overcome them. The methodology adopted for this research were the descriptive and analytical approaches that were inductive in nature; where the researcher collected data through both primary (questionnaire and interview of personalities concerned with the Arabic language in Yobe State) and secondary sources (relevant references). The study is limited to Yobe State but the findings can be generalized to some other states because of similarities in culture and religion. The outcome of the research reveals that the status of the Arabic language began to improve after independence. However despite the improvement, it is also found that there are challenges and obstacles that embody the Arabic language that need to be removed and overcome. The research also found that Sufi scholars in northern Nigeria play a prominent role in the dissemination of religious education and Arabic language as well as the Salafist scholars in consolidating and strengthening this holy call. Another finding is that the Arabic language has witnessed a new phase of progress and development (that is quite different from the previous progress after independence) from 2000 to 2011.