Yoruba Language Going Into Extinction? Advocate Calls for Actions
The Yoruba language has been adjudged as one of the influential languages, with its speaker scattered across the globe, and their origin is traced back to South West Nigeria.
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Despite the growth of the language, particularly in the entertainment industry, in movies like Anikulapo by Kunle Afolayan and Jagunjagun by Femi Adebayo, the Yoruba language could still be going into extinction realm because of the growing decline in its literacy.
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Speaking with Legit.ng on the implications of the decline of the Yoruba Language, Ibrahim Oredola, the co-founder of the ÀTẸ́LẸWỌ́ Cultural Initiative, said.
The implication of the language means that, little by little, we will be experiencing fewer speakers. Whether you like it or not, that is what accumulates over time to the extent that the language becomes extinct.
If we don't have enough people that can read the language, when the number is reducing, then the people that are actually interested in speaking will also be reducing. The implication is that the language is now susceptible to extinction.
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It will also affect the number of publishing or literature production because if literacy is not increasing, how do you expect publishers to start publishing books?
How to save Yoruba language from going into extinction
Speaking on measures to rescue the language from going into extinction, Oredola called on the government to put more policies that would enhance the growth of the language in place.
Oredola said it had been experimented with that Yoruba language can be used as a teaching language for children at the primary school level.
He cited the reports by Professor Fafunwa and Professor Adejumo from the University of Ibadan (UI) and called on the governments in the South-West states to adopt their recommendations.
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He added that the Yoruba language should also be compulsory for pupils at the secondary school level, just as English language.
He said Yoruba language should be as important as general study language at the university level that students would have to take in a semester or session at all level to promote literacy in the language.
He recommended that Yoruba language should be a major requirement in getting admission into higher institutions in the South-West States namely Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti.
Government should provide incentives for publishers to hunt for Yoruba authors, Oredola
"Government should provide incentives for publishers to continue to find newer voices or newer authors of Yoruba literature. I am very active in the sector and I know that a lot of Yoruba books are actually out of print at the moment."
He argued that "there is no commercial value" for Yoruba authors", thus, the need for the government to encourage publishers to hunt for your talents while encouraging and promoting its literacy.
Source: Legit.ng
