English Is My First Language—But I Had to Relearn It

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English is my first language. My father is Idoma, my mother is Ebira, and I was born in a predominantly Hausa region—but English has always been the language I think in, speak in, and live in.

From nursery school through to the moment I dropped the book I was just reading, English has been a constant. I studied it diligently.

I used to be extremely critical of people who did not speak well—especially those in the public eye. If someone mispronounced a word, I could dismiss them completely. A brilliant speech meant absolutely nothing to me if it was not delivered with proper grammar and clear diction. I would often correct people silently during conversations. Sometimes, I would even flinch—literally—when I heard poor grammar.

I was aware that I had a slight issue with the letter "r," but still, I believed that I spoke better than most people. I took pride in my articulation. That was until the year 2014.

While working in radio and television, I attended a communication training session for media professionals. The trainer, a woman I respected greatly, critiqued my spoken English so thoroughly that I almost cried. She told me that my pronunciation was fair at best, and that I needed to return to the books.

Her words cut deeply. The only thing that kept the tears from falling was the final thread of pride I desperately clung to. In truth, she was not unkind. But in my mind, her words felt harsh—because I have never taken criticism well.

Later, when I looked beyond the sting, I reflected on what she had said. I realized that my spoken English had begun to deteriorate when I started speaking a great deal of Pidgin English. The American films I loved also did not help. It took a stranger to show me that I had no real reason to boast about something I was not truly excellent at. That experience was humbling.

To many, it might seem like a small issue. But anyone who understands the demands of media knows that a presenter or speaker must sound right at all times. Every time I had mispronounced a word, someone listening probably flinched the same way I used to. That thought made my skin crawl—especially as a perfectionist.

So, I went back to the drawing board and started learning English all over again, even if it meant starting from scratch.

This brings me to a related point. Many people excuse their poor grammar by saying, "English is not my mother tongue." I believe that argument is weak. If you spent fourteen years—from nursery school through to secondary school—studying one language, then you cannot fall back on that excuse. Just admit that you did not put in the effort. No one will beat you for it.

I believe that the responsibility to speak correctly lies with each of us. We must be mindful of our pronunciation, grammar, and sentence construction. This is especially true if you are a media personality, a teacher, or a public speaker. You are in a position to educate and influence others. No one enjoys listening to someone who constantly makes glaring grammatical errors. People are drawn to speakers who have clarity, confidence, and great diction.

That said, speaking well does not mean faking an accent. Many eloquent Nigerians—Pete Edochie, Joke Silva, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Amina J. Mohammed—speak excellent English without losing the unique essence of their native accents. Many of our parents did the same.

So, let us return to the drawing board. Let us refine our speech—not for pride, but for purpose.

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