1
2
3
About Us...
_________________________________________________________________
Director
Prof. Aliyu Muazu
The Centre for the Study of Nigerian Languages, Bayero University, Kano, was established during the 1969/70 session to continue the work of the ‘’Hausa Language Board’’, of the defunct Northern Region of Nigeria. The original aim for the establishment of the Centre then, was to promote the use of Hausa, Fulfulde and Kanuri languages, literature and cultures. It assumed its current name during the 1970/71 session since Fulfulde, Kanuri, Jukun, Bade, etc., were added to the list of languages. It started as the first center of its kind in Northern Nigeria when Abdullahi Bayero College (B.U.K. of today) was a campus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It started with one academic staff (the Director) and two administrative staff – a secretary and a typist, and gradually grew into a Centre which had a reasonable number of staff drawn locally and abroad. The old Centre had been administered by different people Professor Paul Newman, Professor Dandatti Abdulqadir, Professor Abba Rufa’i, Malam Abdullahi Umar Kafin Hausa, Professor Bello Sa’id, Professor Maikudi Qaraye, Professor Abdu Yahya Bichi and finally Professor Lawan Danladi Yalwa. With regard to staffing the old Centre had fifteen academic staff. There were four Professors, three Associate Professors and eight other staff ranking from Senior Lecturers to Assistant Lecturers. When the University decided to establish Department of Linguistics, seven academic staff of the Centre were transferred to the new department. In April 2014 the University approved the change of name of the Centre from Centre for the Study of Nigerian Languages (CSNL) to Centre for Research in Nigerian Languages and Folklore (CRNL & F) and gave it a new structure. The Centre’s Administrative Structure has a Director and Three Deputy Directors for Folklore Division, Nigerian Languages Division and Translation Division. The restructuring of Centre facilitated another transfer of four additional academic staff to Department of Nigerian Language (DNL) and Department of Linguistics. These transfers had reduced the size of the academic staff to four; three research Professor and an Associate Professor. The supporting staff of the Centre are ten, which include; a Secretary, Librarian, Administrative Assistant, four junior staff and one Driver. The total number of permanent staff is now fourteen. The Deputy Directors are deployed from Department of Nigerian Language (DNL) and Department of Linguistics to the Centre for two years, and their tenure can be renewed depending on their performance. Therefore, the total number of Permanent Staff is currently twelve personnel. And if the three Deputy Directors and the Visiting Staff are added, the number of existing staff of the Centre becomes eighteen (18).
_________________________________________________________________
Functions of the Centre...
Functions of the Centre
The aims and objectives for the establishment and restructuring of the Centre include to:
A. Promote the study and research into Nigerian Languages and Folklore;
B. Prepare and promote the production of pedagogical materials for the teaching of Nigerian Languages and Folklore.
C. Convene and conduct conferences, seminars, and workshops on Nigerian Languages and Folklore at both National and International levels;
D. Promote original writing in Nigerian Languages, especially by counselling, guidance and advice to writers;
E. Engage in translation both into or from Nigerian Languages and other Languages of the world and organize refresher course’s workshops and seminars for translators
F. Produce additional two journals on Nigerian Languages and Folklore and maintain the existing Harsunan Nijeriya i.e. Kano Journal of Nigerian Languages and Kano Journal of Folklore.
G. And collect materials and establish archives for traditional manuscripts, folk artifacts, crafts and traditional music and also render library and archival services to scholars through the acquisition of oral texts, artifacts, manuscripts as well as books and journals available at its disposal.
