Afenifere, Elebuibon Move To Rescue Yoruba Language From Drowning

Eko Hot Blog reports that Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, has urged stakeholders, especially South-West governors, to mandate the use of Yoruba for teaching and communication in schools to prevent the language from extinction.

At a caucus meeting held at the home of National Leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Afenifere lamented the declining state of the Yoruba language.

According to the Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Jare Ajayi, there is a pressing need to revive the language and prevent it from slipping into obscurity.

The group advocated the formulation and implementation of a policy by the governors that would mandate the use of Yoruba as a medium of instruction for teaching in both primary and secondary schools, adding that parents and guardians should be incorporated into the policy.

“Among the issues deliberated upon that are of concern to Afenifere is the status of the Yoruba language, particularly in Yoruba land.

“The meeting called on the governors, particularly in Yoruba-speaking states, to make it a policy and probably even make it compulsory for the language to be used as a medium of expression in teaching at the primary and junior secondary school levels.

“It’s of great concern to the meeting that many parents are not speaking, let alone teaching their children. We create a positive danger of extinction shortly. The meeting, therefore, encourages all parents to speak the language in their homes,” Ajayi said.

Lending his voice, an Ifa Priest and cultural enthusiast, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon feels that preserving the Yoruba language is primarily the duty of each family.

Elebuibon said: “Each family is first responsible for the preservation of the Yoruba Language. We should all start by speaking it with our children; teach them the basic acts of greetings, material and non-material culture.

“The Yoruba language is already a subject taught in schools, making it compulsory does not guarantee preservation, how many hours do the children spend in schools?

“For me, as I have always advocated, preserving the Yoruba language is majorly our responsibility as individuals in our respective homes. The children speak first the language of their mother and that’s why it is called mother tongue.

“If Yoruba is to be made compulsory in primary schools, it should be to use it as a language of instruction over every subject in schools within the region. It will enhance students’ understanding and further strengthen its usage among students.”

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