The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Tuesday gave reasons for promoting Yoruba language, saying his struggle to promote the language has started in earnest.
Speaking in Lagos during the Yoruba Quiz Competition organised as part of activities for the ongoing Olokun Festival, Aare Adams said the platform is designed to educate the pupils and guests for them to be proficient in Yoruba Language.
He said: “Yoruba Language is not vernacular, therefore, anybody that loses his or her language and tradition is in bondage and it is dangerous for the future.
“We have done a lot of injustice to Yoruba Language and that has affected us seriously, particularly in the way we relate with the rest of the world.
“I am always worried by the way we handle the language.
“However, we need to encourage the use of Yoruba Language in our homes and the schools, especially from the primary, secondary and to the tertiary institutions.
“We can easily catch them young when their brain is still young.
“I am a living witness to the struggle involving cultural evangelism.
“The glory we are celebrating today is the gain of what we did more than 15 years ago.”
Aare Adams noted also that it is sad that government has been reluctant in sponsoring cultural events and festivals, adding that all the cultural activities, including festivals, are being funded by the Oodua People’s Congress.
He said his new status has helped the various organisations under his leadership.
He said: “Apart from Osun Osogbo Festival and Eyo, Olokun Festival remains the most celebrated festival in the country.
“The just concluded Twins Festival in Igbo Ora, Oyo State, where about 2,000 twins were celebrated, was a good development, which must be encouraged.
“In China, 75 per cent of their programme is on cultural promotion, with population of about 1.6 billion people promoting their cultural identity.
“The British, French, Arabs, Dutch and the Portuguese will never toy with their languages and heritage.
“They spend a lot of money in promoting their languages.
“I am happy with the initiative as promoted by our foundation and I pray that the children will be good ambassadors of the Yoruba race and Nigeria as a whole.”
In her remarks, the Chairman of Akomolede Yoruba in Lagos State, Zainab Olaitan, expressed appreciation to Olokun Festival Foundation, saying efforts are on to change the wrong perception people have about the Yoruba Language.
Olaitan said: “It is our responsibility to promote our language as it is done in the developed world.
“Let us promote our language by the way we talk and dress.
“Let us promote our culture and tradition by all means that is possible.”
The Deputy Director, Education District 6, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Legbeti Paul, said the state government is doing everything to promote indigenous languages, adding that platforms like this will complement government’s efforts in making Yoruba Language a globally acceptable language in the world.
About 21 secondary schools participated in this year’s Yoruba Quiz competition.
Prominent guests present at the event included Prof. Kolawole Raheem of the University of Education, Wine, Ghana; Chairman of the event, Alhaji Akeem Olanrewaju; Olokun Festival ambassadors – Yomi Fash Lanso, Muyiwa Oshinaike; Chairman Lagos State TAMPAN Elders Council, Alhaji Olanrewaju Adisa; Akeem Babs; Chief Iyabo Adeyemi; teachers representing the various secondary schools in Lagos State; as well as members of Akomolede Yoruba.
Olanrewaju and other guests were honoured with awards of dignity.
At the end of the competition, Ilupeju Junior Secondary School came first, followed by Isolo Junior High school and Oregun Junior High School came third.
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