09/02/2026
What if Liberia finally chose one indigenous language as a shared national language—not to replace the others, but to help unite us?
The discussion under our recent post about President William R. Tolbert Jr. speaking Kpelle revealed something important:
many Liberians are not only interested in preserving our languages; they are asking deeper questions about education, national identity, and the role our languages should play in the future of Liberia.
Several people argued that Liberian languages should be taught in our schools so that our children do not lose their cultures and traditions.
Others went even further, suggesting that Liberia could select one of its indigenous languages for broader national use while still teaching and protecting the others.
And many emphasized that teaching our native languages is essential to knowing who we are and passing our heritage to the next generation.
This raises a serious national question:
Should Liberia adopt one indigenous language as a shared national language while deliberately teaching, documenting, and preserving all of our other languages?
At the Liberian Language Institute, our position is clear: LLI is not a Kpelle-only organization.
Kpelle was one of the languages through which our work began, but our mission is to support all Liberian languages.
Right now, people are learning languages such as Bassa, Kissi, Vai, Mann, Mandingo, Krahn, Bandi, Kpelle and others through our online language-learning efforts.
We have also produced shirts and cultural materials celebrating different Liberian languages because we believe no community should feel that its language is less important than another.
That is why our principle remains: No Language Left Behind.
But protecting all our languages does not prevent us from asking another question:
Could Liberia also benefit from one shared indigenous national language?
A national language would not have to replace English.
It would not mean that a Bassa child should stop speaking Bassa, a Kissi family should abandon Kissi, or a Vai speaker should become Kpelle.
Instead, it could become an additional language of national belonging—a language that Liberians from different backgrounds could learn alongside their own mother tongues and English.
Imagine a child growing up able to speak:
their mother tongue + a shared Liberian national language + English.
That is not linguistic backwardness. That is linguistic strength.
Countries build national identity through many things: flags, anthems, history, symbols, institutions and shared experiences. Language can also become part of that identity.
But if Liberia ever makes such a decision, it should not be imposed by one tribe, one organization, or one government official.
It should come through serious national consultation involving linguists, educators, traditional leaders, communities, universities, government, cultural institutions, young people and the diaspora.
The choice should be based on evidence: geographic reach, number of speakers, existing written resources, ease of teaching, public acceptance and its ability to function as a bridge across communities.
And whichever language is selected, the other Liberian languages must not become casualties of that decision.
They should be taught, documented, digitized, published, researched and passed to children with the same seriousness.
This is where LLI believes Liberia can do something powerful:
One shared national language for unity.
Many Liberian languages preserved for identity.
English retained for wider national and international communication.
These goals do not have to compete.
The discussion under our previous post also reminded us why this matters.
Some people worry that too much attention is being given to Kpelle. That concern deserves to be heard.
LLI belongs to all Liberian languages, and our long-term vision is a country where a child can proudly learn Bassa, Vai, Kissi, Krahn, Mano, Mandingo, Bandi, Kpelle, Grebo, Gola, Kru, Lorma, Gio and every other Liberian language without being made to feel that English is the only language associated with intelligence or progress.
Perhaps the question before our generation is no longer simply:
“Should we preserve our languages?”
Perhaps it is:
“What kind of language system should Liberia build for the next 100 years?”
So we want to hear from you.
If Liberia were to choose ONE indigenous language as a shared national language, which language would you choose—and why?
And just as importantly:
How should we make sure every other Liberian language continues to survive, grow and be taught to future generations?
Share your thoughts. Tag someone who should be part of this conversation.
Let policymakers, educators, universities, cultural leaders and communities hear what Liberians think.
A national conversation can become a national policy.
A national policy can become a national identity.
And a generation that acts today can ensure that no Liberian language is lost tomorrow.
No Language Left Behind.
Share this post and let's have a national discussion.
