Twi or Akan Language of Ghana To Be Spoken In Entire West Africa In Less Than 100 Years
Historian Anokye Frimpong has re-emphasized the view of one Prof Sena who stated that in less than 100 years the whole of West Africa could be speaking Twi or Akan. The historian explained that the systematic assimilation and spread of the Akan language emanating from Ghana is because it is relatively easier to learn and speak.
He reckons that some 80 per cent of Ghanaians speak Akan and that is a testament to the cross-cultural nature, and acceptability of the language. Conversely, he said, it is relatively harder to understand, let alone fluently speak the other Ghanaian languages hence their restriction to their origins.
Whilst it is easier for the other tribes in Ghana such as Nzema, Dagomba, Ewe, and Guan to learn Akan, the tribes which speak the various Akan dialects have had only a few snoopers outside their comfort zones. Citing Ewe spoken by the people of the Volta region in Ghana as having international trappings because it is spoken in Togo and Benin as well, he added that the Ewe language hasn’t been able to penetrate Akan areas to assume a national character.
Mr Anokye Frimpong argued that the other languages vying Akan barely travel beyond their geographical locale or their natives. One means to break the linguistic barriers is to nurture newborns in cultural zones other than the areas where their mother tongues are in pre-dominance. In the ladened dialogue, Mr Anokye Frimpong underscored the significant place of the Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana’s cultural heritage, adding that Ashanti which is custodian of Akan is one of the indigenous brands crossing international boundaries, and becoming a pole for people mobilization.
The vectors of the Akan language are largely itinerant traders and communal regional activities facilitated by the Ecowas protocol on Free Movement of People and Goods.
To him, the scruples of even those who do not like Ashantis would accept the monstrosity of this ethnic group as a national sales point. Language occupied the late K.B Asante, one-time Cabinet Secretary of Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s Government who in a write up titled “Do we have a national language,” for the 17 February, 2014 edition of the Daily Graphic newspaper in Ghana, analyzed this theme.
He said, Akan could occupy the enviable spot as the national language and unifying the people while English maintains its place as the official language of Ghana. The astute diplomat, educationist and politician argued that nations cannot develop properly if their citizens cannot effectively communicate in both national and official languages.