The Place of Language Use in Conflict: A Symbiosis of Relatedness in the Evolution of Violent Conflict in Northern Nigeria

摘要

The symbiotic interrelatedness of the use of language and conflict generation in the northern part of Nigeria has become a source of worry as the media, journalists and even scholars often blame religion, politics or ethnicity as the major source of conflict in Northern Nigeria but fail to mention the role of manipulative use of language which incited and brainwashed extremist into involvement in various deadly conflicts. Using the qualitative research methodology and library materials, the paper reviewed the role of language in the society with rapt attention to the negative effect of inappropriate use of language and its effects on the masses and concludes that the issue of hegemony between religious or ethnic groups has not sustained conflict as much as manipulative influence of the use of language. The paper therefore recommends that the proper use of language should be employed in every discourse process as inappropriate use of language will continue to generate conflict and also act as a manipulative tool for exploitation in the hands of extremist and interest parties.