Africans must embrace and save indigenous languages
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Yoruba leaders decry decline in language, culture
Yoruba leaders decry decline in language, culture
Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta - 25.06.2007
Eminent Yoruba leaders converged on June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the weekend and called all stakeholders to work together towards salvaging Yoruba culture.
The leaders, who met under the auspices of “Igbimo Masolenu”, decried the disposition of some Yoruba leaders who it said did not encourage the language in their homes, saying if urgent steps were not taken, Yoruba language might go into extinction.
At the ocassion were Chief Victor Sotunde, Dr Onaolapo Soneye, a reknowned journalist, Chief Tola Adeniyi, and the deputy Provost of the Federal College of the Education (FCE), Abeokuta, Alhaji Nurudeen Sodipe.
They attributed attributed the level of immorality plaguing the country to lack of recognition for Yoruba
culture. The leaders condemned the attitude of some Yoruba leaders who they said did not encourage the language in their homes.
The patron of the group, Dr Soneye, in his remark, couselled the young ones to embrace Yoruba culture and language, saying this would enhance their nderstanding and make them good for the society.
Delivering a lecture at the occasion attended by the lowu of Owu, Oba Olusanya Dosunmu and the Olubara of Ibara, Oba Jacob Omolade, Alhaji Sodipe urged parents to start teaching their children the language from rimary school level.
He also emphasised the virtues of Yoruba which, acording to him “accords respect to elders and teaches young ones good manner unlike other foreign anguages that disrespect and could not differentiate elders from young ones”.
Eminent Yoruba leaders converged on June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the weekend and called all stakeholders to work together towards salvaging Yoruba culture.
The leaders, who met under the auspices of “Igbimo Masolenu”, decried the disposition of some Yoruba leaders who it said did not encourage the language in their homes, saying if urgent steps were not taken, Yoruba language might go into extinction.
At the ocassion were Chief Victor Sotunde, Dr Onaolapo Soneye, a reknowned journalist, Chief Tola Adeniyi, and the deputy Provost of the Federal College of the Education (FCE), Abeokuta, Alhaji Nurudeen Sodipe.
They attributed attributed the level of immorality plaguing the country to lack of recognition for Yoruba
culture. The leaders condemned the attitude of some Yoruba leaders who they said did not encourage the language in their homes.
The patron of the group, Dr Soneye, in his remark, couselled the young ones to embrace Yoruba culture and language, saying this would enhance their nderstanding and make them good for the society.
Delivering a lecture at the occasion attended by the lowu of Owu, Oba Olusanya Dosunmu and the Olubara of Ibara, Oba Jacob Omolade, Alhaji Sodipe urged parents to start teaching their children the language from rimary school level.
He also emphasised the virtues of Yoruba which, acording to him “accords respect to elders and teaches young ones good manner unlike other foreign anguages that disrespect and could not differentiate elders from young ones”.