THE SOCIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF DECLINING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE USE AMONG THE IGALA

Language decline within indigenous communities has become an important sociological concern because of its implications for identity continuity, cultural reproduction, and social cohesion in ethnolinguistic societies. This paper examined the sociological consequences of declining indigenous language use among the Igala people of Kogi State, Nigeria, with emphasis on its effects on cultural identity and sense of belonging, intergenerational communication and social relationships, as well as the transmission of indigenous cultural values, oral traditions, and social norms among younger generations.