Abstract
Central Nigeria is a region of great linguistic diversity where there were no pre-colonial orthographies in use. The expansion of population and modern education has created a strong demand for local literacy programmes for the Plateau languages of Central Nigeria. For people to be able to develop themselves intellectually, it is important that they have a system of writing that is truly their own. Initially, demand for literacy has been in relation to programmes for Bible translation, and this is largely where funding is sought. However, these programmes are frustratingly long-term and some have been quite ineffective due to poor (or no) initial planning and ill-designed orthographies.
 However, in the decade since 2010, demand is increasingly coming from non-denominational organisations whose concern is cultural maintenance, and thus the use of vernacular languages in education. This paper examines the progress achieved and problems faced by some of the Plateau languages in the area of literacy development with a more detailed case study of the Mada Literacy Programme, as well as offering some practical solutions to assist the spread of literacy.
Highlights
An effective mother-tongue literacy programme has a critical role to play in the linguistic enterprise
This paper examines the progress achieved and problems faced by some of the Plateau languages in the area of literacy development with a more detailed case study of the Mada Literacy Programme, as well as offering some practical solutions to assist the spread of literacy
For meaningful literacy and translation work to start in any language, it is essential to carry out a preliminary assessment to set priorities
Summary
An effective mother-tongue literacy programme has a critical role to play in the linguistic enterprise. The main institution intended to promote this is the NERDC (National Education Research and Development Council), based in Abuja. This institution publishes ‘official’ orthographies for Nigerian languages. (such as Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo) that state government will promote it.2 These languages are taught in higher institutions of learning while other languages are neglected. In highly multilingual states, such as Plateau and Nasarawa, where there is no dominant language, the attention given to minority languages is highly contested, and state governments have instead often chosen to promote Hausa through the Adult Literacy programmes
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