An examination of the position of illiterates in Nigerian Law

Nigeria like most other under-developed countries is presently faced with the enormous task of educating the main bulk of her citizens as one of the corner-stones for the economic development of the country. At present, the literate population, i.e. those who can read or write in any of the local languages or English, is well under ten per cent of the entire population of the country. Thus, we find that the vast majority of the people are illiterate not only in the local languages but also in the English language, which is the lingua franca of Nigeria. Illiteracy, therefore, is for Nigeria a fact of life with which the law makers have to reckon. English being the lingua franca has meant that the bulk of official and commercial transactions are done in that language, though only a minute percentage of the population is conversant with it.