AYANRINDE OLUTOBI GIDEON

Tourism and Hospitality Management

At the Tourism And Hospitality Management department office

Appointment on Visitation important

#	Certificate	School	Year
1.	Ph.D (Urban Geography/Eco-Tourism/Smart-Tourism)	Department of Geography, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye	2025

An Assessment of Language Disparities on ECOWAS Performance: Nigeria – Benin Republic Case.

This paper assesses language disparities among ECOWAS member states, focusing on their impact on regional integration, particularly between Nigeria and the Benin Republic. It highlights language as a major legacy of colonialism, where post-colonial states adopted the languages of former colonial powers as official lingua franca. Consequently, ethnic groups divided by artificial borders have become further separated, with language differences limiting communication and cooperation.

Using a qualitative approach, data were obtained from secondary sources including textbooks, academic journals, and government publications. Findings reveal that colonial history is the primary driver of linguistic fragmentation in West Africa, which continues to hinder interstate socio-economic interactions and slow economic integration within the sub-region.

The study concludes that language disparities remain a significant barrier to ECOWAS effectiveness and regional development. It recommends strengthening intra-regional collaboration through policies that promote multilingualism, enhance trade relations, and improve educational exchanges to foster unity and integration among member states.

AYANRINDE GIDEON is a Lecturer II at the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management

AYANRINDE has a Ph.D in Urban Geography/Eco-Tourism/Smart-Tourism from Department of Geography, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye