By Dipo Awojobi – The Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria (YSAN) has said that there is need to upgrade the functionality of the language so as to ensure that it takes its pride of place amongst other languages in this era of the social media.
The National President of YSAN, Professor Oluyemisi Adebowale emphasised this during her welcome address at the association’s 2016 National Conference held at Afe Babalola Hall in the University of Lagos with the theme: “Yoruba Society and The New Media.”
According to the scholar, who doubles as the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of Adekunle Ajasin University, the protection of speaking, writing and culture of the Yoruba people is germane.
She raised eyebrow on the mode of dressing of the Yoruba youths, stating that nudity is not acceptable to the Yoruba culture and language.
“We want to promote it amongst scholars and sensitize the citizenry to know what obtains in the global village. The greatest challenge is the lack of interest in speaking, and identifying with the language. Governments are also not helping matters.
“Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages used to be compulsory at the senior secondary level, but things and policies have changed, it is no longer compulsory and so the number of students, and candidates offering the Yoruba Language have reduced drastically.
“It pains us because it is also affecting the institutions as the number of applicants for the language is decreasing and we are not happy with that.
“We have made efforts on this, even we presented it to the minister, but we were not taken seriously because it was only Yoruba scholars that are making the move. We are looking at merging forces with the President of Igbo Language Association, and that of Hausa Language to put up a strong paper for consideration by the government for a review,” she said.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Rahaman Ade Bello, who was represented by his Deputy, Professor Duro Oni noted that adopting Yoruba Language and the other Nigerian languages as the medium of teaching and impacting knowledge is quite beneficial to the academic future of the students.
“Let’s start teaching the little children in Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa Languages once they start going to school. They are to be taught in the language. Those that are taught with the languages will excel. The rhymes in Yoruba Language encourage academics, we need to resuscitate this.
“Even when you teach them English Language using Yoruba as the medium of expression like Professor Babs Fafunwa, Ayo Banjo have proven to us, the efficacy of that method, and the products do better. The culture of learning other languages must be restored in our education policy,” he said.
The chairman of the Committee for the Conference, Prof. Oladipo Ajiboye called on the stakeholders to ensure that Nigerian children speak, understand and write Yoruba for even development.
Also speaking, the Baale of Shibiri, Oto Awori LCDA, Engineer Haruna Ishola Bako stated that scholars and stakeholders should rally round and ensure that the Yoruba Language and culture are not destroyed.
The keynote Speaker at the event, a retired cleric, Most Rev. Ayo Ladigbolu stated that the world is now a global village.
“We must be able to communicate, not only with our immediate neighbours, but with others in the United States of America, Haiti, Australia, Ghana and wherever human beings are found and the language of new media is the language of computer, website, whatsap, facebook and YouTube.
“We must learn and use those languages to communicate our culture, ideals, desires as well as our projections for the future.
“Producing materials in Yoruba Language in the new media for them to be interested in it so that we won’t be left behind. All languages in Nigeria should embrace it so that you we can all benefit from it,” he said.
