Nigerian Languages

The Department of Nigerian Languages of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto was established in 1976, with the main aim of introducing students to the full knowledge of Hausa language, literature and culture. Enrolment commenced in 1977 with a few students but the number has been on the rise since then. The Department produced its first set of graduates in 1980, and ever since, the number has continued to grow. The initial BA Hausa programme was for a 3-year duration which later changed to a 4-year programme when the country adopted the 6-3-3-4 system of education.

The Department has three academic programmes: BA, MA and PhD. The Postgraduate programmes were introduced in 1980, and since then the Department has successfully graduated dozens of MA and PhD students in the three areas of study (Language, Literature and Culture). Worthy of note is that all the academic programmes of the Department are fully accredited.

At present (2020), the Department has twenty-six (26) staff members out of which twenty-three (23) are academic staff while three (3) are non-academic staff. Seven out of the twenty-three (23) academic staff are Professors, three Associate Professors (Readers), nine Senior Lecturers, three Lecturers 1 and one Lecturer II.

The Department is fully engaged in research for the production of new knowledge; hence, it continuously mobilises experts in the three areas (Language, Literature and Culture) and attracts talents both at home and abroad for mutually beneficial collaboration. The sustainable research culture of the Department has facilitated the publication of two academic journals: DUNDAYE Journal of Hausa Studies and ZAUREN WAKA Journal of Hausa Poetry Studies.