The Executive Director, National Institute for Nigerian languages ( NINLAN), Prof Ogbonna Onuoha says the institute has concluded plans to establish Nigerian languages acquisition centres with two centres in each of the six Geo- political zones of Nigeria.
Prof Onuoha who disclosed when he hosted two Veteran Journalists Uzoma Isiakpu and Charles Ifenkwe, explained that the establishment of the study centres will create outreaches where Consultants, Coordinators and teachers will teach students who enrolled instead of them coming to the Institute’s headquarters for study.
According to him, the Institute has almost finished working on plan for online study of Nigerian languages so that students can access learning from any part of the country via the internet once they register with the Institute.
The Executive Director said this is part of the effort towards charting new courses for the development of Nigerian Languages, for the dissemination of Information about Nigerian Languages,information for the teaching and study of Nigerian languages.
“Even Nigerians in the diaspora who left their languages many decades ago and those whose children can no longer speak their languages will begin to learn from us (NINLAN) through the internet,” Prof Onuoha pointed out.
He further made public that the Institute is also working on developing computers on Nigerian languages for processing Nigerian languages.
In their speeches, the two Veteran Journalists Deacon Isiakpu and Mr Ifenkwe, applauded Prof Onuoha for bringing his wealth of experience to bear on the Institution
The Veteran Journalists who retired as Permanent Secretaries in the Abia State commended the Executive Director for attracting TETFUND to assist in the development of NINLAN and for embarking on staff training to keep staff of the institution abreast of modern practices .
They however urged him to look into the area of publicity and creation of awareness so that many Nigerians can learn about NINLAN and take advantage of its existence to learn Nigerian Languages.
