About Us
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Director
Prof. Yakubu Magaji Azare; FNITI, FCAI, B.A (BUK) PGDE (FCEK), MA, PhD. (BUK) MPPA (BUK)
"The Vision of the Centre is: To lead in Research in Nigerian Languages, Translation and Folklore.
The Mission is: To promote the study and research into Nigerian Languages, Translation and Folklore
and engage in translation both from foreign languages into Nigerian Languages and vice-versa;
and organize refresher courses, workshops/conferences and seminars on Nigerian Languages and translation."
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, was to promote the use of Hausa, Fulfulde and Kanuri Languages, Literature and Cultures. The Centre also aimed to convene and conduct conferences, seminars, and workshops on Nigerian Languages, Translation and Folklore at both National and International levels; and to collects materials and establish archives for traditional manuscript, 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.
The Centre assumed its name during the 1970/71 session since Fulfulde, Kanuri, Jukun, Bade, etc., were added to the list of the Languages. It started as the first Centre of its kind in Northern Nigeria when Abdullahi Bayero College (BUK 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 long Centre which had a reasonable number of staffs drawn locally and abroad.
However, 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 Two Deputy Directors for Nigerian Languages Division and Folklore Division. In 2017 the University approved the modification of the name of the Centre to include Translation. The new name reads: Centre for Research in Nigerian Languages, Translation and Folklore (CRNLT&F). The building of the Centre was named after a renowned Hausa scholar and staff of the former Centre as ‘Ibrahim Yaro Yahaya Building’.
The Centre has been blessed since its inception to have achieved a lot of intellectual capabilities in terms of promoting, supporting and upgrading the standards of Nigerian Languages nationally and at international spheres. Moreover, the Centre had previously work on many projects such as Hausa English Dictionary, Fulfulde English Dictionary, Workshop on Translating Political Terms into Hausa, Occasional Publications of some Books like “Waka A bakin Mai Ita I & 2”, “Sunayen Hausawa Na Gargajiya” Sunayen Dawaki Da Kayan Hawansu.” “A Selection of Koranic Verses,” “Sabbin Kalmomi”, “Bori Da Rukiya” among others. Other publication done by the Centre was the famous “Harsunan Nijeriya” which was first published in 1971 and the publication continue every year with contributors coming across different academic discipline.
Moreover, The Centre is on the frontline in organizing national and international conferences in Hausa Language, Literature and Culture with the participants coming around the globe. In view of the aforementioned the Centre has been organizing series of conferences titled “Studies in Hausa Language, Literature and Culture, First Hausa International Conference” at the interval of three years from July 1978 to date. The Centre also organizes public lecture in honour of some famous Hausa scholars and promoters among which are Nina Pawlak, Prof. Ibrahim Yaro Yahya of blessed memory.
The Centre had been administered by different scholars Prof. Paul Newman, Emeritus Prof. Dandatti Abdulkadir, Prof. Abba Rufa’i, Mallam Abdullahi Umar Kafin Hausa, Prof. Bello Sai’d, Prof. Maikudi Karaye, Prof. Abdu Yahaya Bichi, Prof. Lawan Danladi Yalwa, Prof. Sammani Sani, Prof. Aliyu Mu’azu and currently Prof. Yakubu Magaji Azare.
The Center is collaborating with many academic institutions locally and internationally as a result of that on 26th August 2022 a scholar from Warsaw University, Poland named Patryk Zajac (Malam Danjuma) Presented a paper titled “Dictionary of Hausa proverbs with their paremic equivalents in Polish and cultural commentary” at the center board room.
On 22nd December, 2023 a One Day Public Lecture was conducted in honour of late Prof. Ibrahim Yaro Yahaya where papers were presented by different scholars under the chairmanship of his bosom friend Emeritus Prof. Abdulkadir Dangambo.
Another major achievement of the Centre was the publication of the famous “Harsunan Nijeriya” The Centre this year published 2021 which was dedicated to sixth Director of the Centre in person of Late Prof. Maikudi Karaye. Moreover, “Harsunan Nijeriya 2022” was also published in honour of Prof. Abba Rufa’I the third Director of the Centre.
Recently the Centre has constituted twelve working committees that will work to streamline a good and cordial relationship between the University and the host community, the committees are: Bill Board, Hausa Orthography, Hausa Home Videos Subtitle, Translation Harmonization, Waka A Bakin Mai Ita, Traditionality and Morality, Traditional Medicine, Metalanguage, Kanuri Conference, Fulfude English Dictionary, Animation, Endangered Language.
As one of the core objectives of the Centre to convene and conduct conferences, seminars, and workshops on Nigerian Languages, and Folklore at both National and
International levels; based on the above, the Centre is organizing an 2nd International Conference on Kanuri Language, Literature and Culture which is to hold August 2023.
The Centre in its effort to contribute towards achieving the federal government policy on teaching students in their mother tongue, the Centre has produced some science text books in Hausa Language such as Kimiya da Fasaha book 1-3 for primary school pupils, Lissafi, Fizik, da Kamistare for senior secondary school students. The project which has been certify by NEDRC.
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