A University Don, Dr. Oye Taiwo, of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan, has disclosed that the continued disregard for culture and indigenous languages remain a big setback holding the country back from developing. Dr. Taiwo made this known while delivering a thought-provoking lecture titled, “The Role of Indigenous Languages in Educational Development”, at the 10th Speech and Prize-giving/6th Valedictory Ceremony of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, International School (FUNIS).
The Guest Speaker defined ‘language’ as the human use of spoken or written words as a communication system, or the speech of a country, region or group of people, including its vocabulary, syntax and grammar, while ‘being indigenous’ meant belonging to a place, originating, naturally living, growing or occurring in a region or country. He lamented that indigenous languages were dying due to the neglect and denigration of our languages, which were not being properly handed-over to the children in homes and schools, noting that most people see local languages as being inferior to the English Language, causing loss of identity and culture.
According to the Don, most people learn and comprehend best in their Mother Tongue, adding that the rapidly growing and developing countries such as China, Japan and Taiwan, teach science and technology-related classes in their indigenous languages, adding that “until we incorporate the indigenous language component into our science and technology, including agriculture, there will be no meaningful development in our nation. Instead, we will continue to consume what others are producing”.
The Guest Speaker recommended that parents should start speaking local languages such as Yoruba to their children, saying “let them know that Yoruba is their God-given identity and they should be ready to promote our language not English”, while he called on schools to devote more time to the teaching and learning of Yoruba language. He also called on the government in the South-West geopolitical zone to make it mandatory for all state houses of assembly to adopt Yoruba as the official language, by making all government documents to be written in Yoruba and making the language a compulsory subject in secondary schools, as well as a general course in all state Universities.
In her remarks, the Principal of FUNIS, Mrs. Toyin Juba, said the occasion marked the end of another academic session and an avenue for celebrating excellence and integrity by honouring students, who were outstanding in their various academic pursuits. She added that the event afforded the school an opportunity to rejoice with the 2015 graduating set known as The Viables. According to Mrs. Juba, the school was continually recording successes because its students topped the list in external competitions as 99 percent of them scored above 200 in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), adding that she and her team had promised that the students would always make their parents and guardians proud. She further reminded The Viables, that the graduation marked the end of an important phase in their lives, urging them to excel because the sky was their limit. The Principal appreciated the Vice-Chancellor and the former Chairman of the School’s Board, Chief Olukayode Akindele, for their immense support and ever responding swiftly to the needs of the school. She also appreciated the Parent-Teacher Association, teaching and non-teaching staff as well as students for their co-operation.
The Chairman of the occasion, who is also a parent of one of the graduating students, Engineer Babalola Olatunji, commended the school, the Principal and the teachers for their hardwork, dynamism, honesty, probity, transparency and accountability, which he said had led to the outstanding successes recorded over the years. He equally appreciated the parents for their moral, financial and spiritual assistance. Engineer Olatunji, lauded the graduating students for their hours of hardwork, which he noted had paid-off, saying the journey to great things had just begun.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, commended the Principal and staff for their commitments and dedication by making the University proud through the maintenance of good academic standards. The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Adekojo Waheed, charged the students to continue to build on the virtues, morals and academic excellence which the school had imparted in them.
Highlights of events included rewarding outstanding students in the various subjects with a variety of gifts donated by the school, parents, teachers and corporate bodies; the unveiling and launching of FUNIS Year Book which, was anchored by the Vice-Principal, Mrs. Emily Okpete; cultural display by students, presentation of gifts to the 2015 Teacher of the Year, ———— Mr. Raphael Agboola; and the induction of graduating students into the Alumni Association. Meanwhile, Miss Olufunmilayo Ogunbona, emerged the Best Overall Graduating Student, having scored 280 marks in the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
