ABSTRACT
In this chapter, it is argued that linguistic rights are an important aspect of human rights and that to promote inclusive democracy in Africa, we must promote linguistic rights and, in so doing, reinvigorate the United Nations since the United Nations routinely endorses democratisation around the world. But what are linguistic rights, and how can scholars of the humanities help enrich the general notion of human rights for a better world? As African societies become more urban in the 21st century, a multiplicity of languages and cultures is bound to be a common phenomenon in urban spaces, and issues of right of language and right to language will come to the fore. This chapter examines the inter-relationships between linguistic rights, on the one hand, and the general notion of human rights, on the other hand, as universal concepts before applying them to the African context. It outlines various strategies that are being taken or that ought to be taken by African actors to promote the revitalisation of indigenous languages and cultures of Africa. Finally, it points to how Africa and other parts of the world can learn from each other in promoting indigenous languages and the cultures associated with them under the aegis of the United Nations’ Decade of Indigenous Languages, 2022 to 2032, for the promotion of democracy, which must be an important aspect of elaborating on current United Nations structures towards reinvigorating this world body.
Afu [abstract in the Dagaare language]. Belaa la kɔkɔre ne saakonnong sori taabo fanga ane wola ka donɛɛ yɛlɛ ganzannegbangbilɛ deme na bang song tegre yel-e sori fanga nensaala zaa nang taa a song ka a tendaa zaa maaleng are velaa? Afirika deme boorɔ boorɔ nang leɛrɛ tenbɛrɛ zuing, a sɛntere lizare ne yeni nga poɔ zuing, a ferɛɛ la ka kɔkɔtɛɛtɛɛ puriyi a tembɛrɛ nga poore, ka saakonnong tɛɛtɛɛ meng be a tenbɛrɛ zaa poore, ka kɔkɔre toribu yɛlɛ ane kɔkɔre sori taabo yɛlɛ meng na daayi la. A kaataa nga welɛ la teɛrɛ nang kyaara yel-erre sobie nensaala nang taa, o nang e tendaa zaa yelnyɔgraa, sɛre ka a pang de ta a Afirika paalong poɔ. O wulo la sobie tɛɛtɛɛ nang na bang tu bee a fere ka Afirika deme tu a song ka Afirika tenne kɔkɔɛ ne saakonnong maaleng iri gɛrɛ ninge. A baaraa, o teɛnwulee lɛnɛɛ Afirika ne a tendaa ziiri mine nang na bang zanne yi ba taaba zie lɛ ba nang na tuong e zɛge tendemee kɔkɔɛ ne saakonnong a teɛ Afirika Langtaa yuomo pie kɔnɔre nang kyaare Tedemee kɔkɔɛ, 2022–2032.
