Perceived Influence of Mother Tongue on Entrepreneurship Education among Students in Selected North-Central Nigerian University

Authors

  • Victoria Oludunni OGUNNIRAN Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
  • Surajudeen Adewale BADRU Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
  • Oyeyemi Jumoke JEKAYINFA Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
  • Taiwo Olufunto OGUNNIRAN Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Anchor University, Lagos State, Nigeria

Keywords:

Mother tongue, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs, Interest, Constructivism

Abstract

This study investigated the perceived influence of the mother tongue on Nigerian University undergraduates’ interest in entrepreneurship education. The research explored the effectiveness of the mother tongue in teaching entrepreneurship education content. Five (5) research objectives, two (2) research questions, and three (3) hypotheses were formulated. 150 students were randomly sampled from Federal, State and Private Universities. A quantitative design was employed, and a questionnaire titled " Perceived Influence of Mother Tongue in arousing Nigerian University Students' Interest towards Entrepreneurship Education” (PIMTANUSIEE) was used for data collection. The formulated hypotheses were tested using the t-test and ANOVA at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that the learners' mother tongue enhances entrepreneurial prospects by facilitating network building and venture support. Mother tongue benefits learners by enabling connection with native speakers, language exchange partners, and communities to practice and enhance their skills. Additionally, the result showed no significant difference in the students’ perceptions, based on gender, class level and university type, indicating that Mother tongue in the entrepreneurship class can lead to effective communication, cultural understanding, and access to diverse markets, horizon expansion and connection with a broader range of opportunities and individuals. The study suggested that educational stakeholders should bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical applications in entrepreneurship education by using the mother tongue in entrepreneurship teaching in higher education.

Author Biographies

Victoria Oludunni OGUNNIRAN, Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Surajudeen Adewale BADRU, Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Oyeyemi Jumoke JEKAYINFA, Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Taiwo Olufunto OGUNNIRAN, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Anchor University, Lagos State, Nigeria

Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Anchor University, Lagos State, Nigeria

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Published

2025-01-30

How to Cite

OGUNNIRAN, V. O., BADRU, S. A., JEKAYINFA, O. J., & OGUNNIRAN, T. O. (2025). Perceived Influence of Mother Tongue on Entrepreneurship Education among Students in Selected North-Central Nigerian University. Ilorin Journal of Education, 45(2), 107–124. Retrieved from https://ije.unilorinedu.sch.ng/index.php/ije/article/view/244