It's important to note that:
* Songhai itself is a family of languages, with different dialects spoken across the Songhai homeland in West Africa.
* The Songhai language is not to be confused with the Songhai empire, which encompassed a variety of other languages and cultures.
* During the Songhai Empire's peak, Arabic was also widely used as a language of administration and trade due to the empire's extensive trade network.
Therefore, while Songhai was the main language of the Songhai people, they were also exposed to other languages through trade and interaction.