Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche Explained

Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche (died 2018) was a Nigerian linguist and academic. From 2016 until her death she was head of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN).

Life

Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche gained a B.Sc. in French and Linguistics from Georgetown University in 1975, a M.Ed. in Language Teaching from the University of Montreal in 1977, and a PhD in linguistics from the University of Port Harcourt in 1991. She became a Senior Lecturer, specializing in Igbo education, at the University of Lagos.^[1] A two-volume festschrift was published in her honour in 2015.^[2]

As President of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN) in 2014, Ohiri-Aniche warned that over 400 indigenous languages of Nigeria were endangered.^[3] In August 2016 President Buhari appointed her as chief executive officer of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN).^[4] She was the third executive director of NINLAN, succeeding Ben Elugbe.^[5] At the end of 2016 she warned that over fifty languages in Nigeria faced imminent extinction.^[6]

She died in September 2018.^[7]

Works

• A comparative phonology of consonants in the Igboid, Edoid, and Yoruboid languages of Nigeria. PhD thesis, University of Port Harcourt, 1991.
• 'Language diversification in the Akoko area of Western Nigeria', in R. M. Blench & M. Spriggs (eds.) Archaeology and Language IV. Language change and cultural transformation, 1999, pp. 79–94.
• 'Language pluralism and national development in Nigeria', in A. E. Eruvbetine (ed.) The humanistic management and pluralism: A formula for development in Nigeria, 2001, pp. 544–560.
• (ed. with Iwu Ikwubuzo and Chigozie Nnabuihe) Udezuluigbo: a festschrift in honour of Sam Uzochukwu. Itire, Lagos, Nigeria : Green Olive, 2008.
• (ed. with T. Uzodinma Nwala and Nath Aniekwu) Igbo nation: history & challenges of rebirth and development. Ibadan, Nigeria : Kraft Books Limited, 2015.

Notes and References

1. Book: Ndimele, Ozo-mekuri. Four Decades in the Study of Nigerian Languages and Linguistics: A Festschrift for Kay Williamson. 2019. M & J Grand Orbit Communications. 978-978-56440-0-5. 22.
2. Ozo-mekuri Ndimele, Language, Literature & Communication in a Dynamic World: A festschrift for Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche. 2 vols, Munich: Lincom, 2015.
3. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/02/400-nigerian-indigenous-languages-endangered/ ‘More than 400 Nigerian indigenous languages are endangered’
4. https://punchng.com/buhari-fires-jamb-registrar-16-chief-executives-retains-4/ Buhari fires JAMB Registrar, 16 other chief executives
5. Chris Nwankwor, Prof Ohiri-Aniche assumes duty as Executive Director of National Institute for Nigerian Languages, News Express, 10 August 2016. Accessed 18 May 2020.
6. https://www.sunnewsonline.com/50-minority-nigerian-languages-to-become-extinct-soon-expert/ 50 minority Nigerian languages to become extinct soon, says scholar
7. https://elombah.com/a-great-star-is-gone-professor-chinyere-ohiri-aniche/ A Great Star Is Gone! – Professor Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche