The Language Question and the Choice of Africa’s Lingua Franca: Is Kiswahili the Most Likely Candidate?

Abstract

The thrust of this paper is that knowledge is power, and its issuance through another people’s languages in which foreign cultural values and inclination are embedded ensures the domination, dependence and non-creativity of a people. The paper is premised on the conviction that promotion and production of knowledge, through various channels, including the issuance of education by Africans, for Africans and in African languages, that truly reflects Africa’s challenges and dynamics, is an imperative for deconstructing the neo-liberal post-colonial narratives that have, by and large, overlooked the language question; and, in contributing positively towards the effective implementation of the development agenda for the continent. Taking the language question on board the continent’s development equation certainly contributes towards empowering the African masses in general. The paper shows how, in trying to highlight efforts that must be made to propel Africa to its desired future, Africa and Africans must play a big role in ensuring that the language question is mainstreamed into every aspect of life, including the education system and in research done on and about Africa. Above all, efforts must also be made to establish solid grounds for instituting a common lingua franca for the whole continent. The paper shows, and argues for the choice of Kiswahili as that lingua franca.