English Language Impact on the African Continent

Africa has become an independent State after years of colonization and the enforcement of English language on African education. As well as it’s reflection on the role it plays in African literature. I therefore disagree with the claim that, “In African literature and education, English should take precedence over indigenous languages”. I no longer see reason for English language to continue taking precedent over African languages. In this essay I will argue for the decolonization of the African Education system as well as the decolonization of the many African minds and tongues. I will raise the question of why should the African continent find common ground in a European language. In my discussion I will deal with the role of African parents and governments with regards to the claim at hand. I will support my argument through using two of Africa’s most influential African writers Ngugi WA Thiongo and Chinua Achebe.

I believe it is now time for African indigenous languages to be celebrated in African society and take precedence over English. Indeed to a certain extent one must recognize our colonial past and the English language being one of the universal languages for progression and the modernizing world but not at the cost of loosing our African mother tongues. I see the English language being of dominance in our African continent still the sheer existence of enslavement of the Western powers.

The word African comes before Literature and education. When dealing with literature and education it is not easily about putting aside culture and other aspects of ourselves that define our identity. I am not encouraging ignorance of the acknowledgement of the role of the English language in the world which when observed is not that dominant. It becomes a major problem when self-pride and identity issues arouse in Africans.

African parents themselves play a major role at putting the English language on a silver platter of civilization and power. This attitude