Traditional ruler, others call for revival of Yoruba language, culture

The Osolo of Isolo Oba Kabir Adelaja, and other Yoruba leaders have called for the revival of the language and culture. Speaking at the Yoruba Day themed ‘Your language, your culture, your identity,’ in Lagos, Adelaja, said: “Yoruba Obas have long been deliberating on how to organise such a programme among the Yorubas until it […]

The Osolo of Isolo Oba Kabir Adelaja, and other Yoruba leaders have called for the revival of the language and culture.
Speaking at the Yoruba Day themed ‘Your language, your culture, your identity,’ in Lagos, Adelaja, said: “Yoruba Obas have long been deliberating on how to organise such a programme among the Yorubas until it was finally organised by Radio Nigeria, Bond FM. We thus hope this will go a long way in reviving the gradual erosion of values and cultures especially among the young generation of our people,” Osolo said.
The Oba lamented that lack of love and harmony especially supremacy tussle among prominent Obas in Nigeria’s South-West have contributed to the backwardness of the Yoruba language and culture.
Adelaja, who noted that the Yorubas among the other ethnic groups in
Nigeria have done away with their culture, said it was a shame that Yoruba children living within the South-West region could not communicate or relate with others by speaking the language with some level of proficiency. He thus called on all Yoruba leaders to support the programme, while calling for love and respect among all stakeholders.
Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Jafar Sanuth also called on all Yoruba stakeholders to support the language and culture revival being promoted by Bond FM.
He stated that it was regrettable that while other languages such as Igbo and Hausa withstood the gale of civilisation, Yoruba has been eroded by the same civilisation.
Sanuth, who was represented by the Director, Media and Public Relations to the ministry, Mrs. Bisi Olufiwa, put the blame on the parents for neglecting their duty of teaching their children their language.
Speaking on the initiative, Director, Lagos Operations of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Mr. Emeka Edikpo, said Yoruba leaders and stakeholders have great work to do in other to redeem the glory of the language. He said Radio Nigeria has put the Yoruba Day programme in place as one of the efforts towards reviving the language and culture.
Similarly, General Manager of Bond FM, Alhaja Serifat Ahmed said the radio station, known for its protection and promotion of Nigerian languages and culture, has initiated the programme in order to further canvass for the revival of the indigenous languages.
She explained that the station organised such a programme for the other two major languages – Igbo and Hausa.
Ahmed, who was given a meritorious award by the staff members of Bond FM for her job and good management, promised to work harder for the development of not only the station but Radio Nigeria as a whole.