ASYMMETRICAL POWER RELATIONS BETWEEN ENGLISH (E) AND NIGERIAN PIDGIN (NP)

There are asymmetrical linguistic relations amongst the prominent languages in Nigeria. This is informed by unchallenged ideologies ascribed to the languages within Nigerian linguistic ecology. This paper employs argumentative approach in applying the assumptions of the common social context theory in association with the ideas of power semantic and the solidarity semantic. The objective is to investigate the interaction between English (E) and Nigerian Pidgin (NP) in association with the ethnic languages e.g., Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Subsequently, it points out that despite the increasing number of NP users and its application in many domains of social actions, the negative ideology of its antecedents, poor arguments coupled with internal language politics and domineering influence of E internally and externally leaves little space for its rise to power. However, the writer maintains optimistically that NP can be valorised through a language policy implementation and positivistic mental attitude. By valorising it, its the speakers are empowered thereby contributing to human capital development.