Students Seeking Admission In LASU Must Learn Yoruba Compulsorily

by: Josiah Egbilika

Starting from 2023/2024 academic session, Yoruba language will be a compulsory course for all students in Lagos State University (LASU). This comes as the school introduces General Nigerian Studies known as GNS 104, a Yoruba Language Studies course, as part of its curriculum.

The decision by LASU aligns with the broader national initiative to protect and promote Nigeria’s diverse linguistic and cultural legacy.

The Yoruba Language Studies course aims to provide students with a comprehensive grasp of Yoruba, one of Nigeria’s prominent indigenous languages also adopted in Brazil as one of it's lingual Franca.

Yoruba Alphabet

The course seeks to equip students with language proficiency, cultural awareness, and historical context, fostering a deeper appreciation of and for Yoruba culture.

Reacting to the development, Professor T.M Salisu, Dean of LASU’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, expressed his excitement highlighting the course potential to strengthen students’ connections to Yoruba roots and promote cultural diversity.

"GNS 104 will not only enhance language proficiency but also encourage a profound understanding of the Yoruba people, their customs, and traditions", he affirmed.

This comprehensive course will encompass various facets of Yoruba culture, including language structure, literature, history, folklore, and contemporary issues.

It will be open to students from all faculties as part of the General Nigerian Studies (GNS) program, reflecting LASU’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning. This is of course a significant move to safeguard Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, by the Lagos State University (LASU).

It is worthy to note that the Lagos State Assembly in 2017 passed a bill mandating the teaching of Yoruba in all schools in the state in its conscious efforts to preserve Yoruba culture and heritage.

The assembly began using the Yoruba language for legislative activities earlier this year, further reinforcing the commitment to preserving this rich cultural heritage.

Comments

Rivers’ Born Journalist Awajis, The Voice Behind Andoni Section of Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Unity Road

OPINION By: Josiah Egbilika The media has widely been acknowledged as a fourth tie of government. Besides it’s informative role, it has been credited as a watchdog. Beyond this role, the media has become an advocacy tool for social development. Remarkable achievements have been accoladed to journalists, On-Air-Personnel and even media houses in actualizing social developmental objectives of communities. In Rivers State, the media held the police accountable for the unjust torture of the Ikoku-5; unmasked the unjust gruesome murder of four University of Port Harcourt (Uniport( Students, now referred as the Aluu-4. These and many more including transparency and accountability of public officers as well as calls for completion of abandoned projects. One of such calls is that made by Awajibokoiton Josiah-Chijindu (fondly known as Awajis) for the completion of the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro unity road. The Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo unity road was awarded by a former governor of...

CREATING PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE THROUGH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTENANCE

by Josiah Egbilika Language Advocate, Najialogist, Human Rights and Gender Advocate Considering the decline in our indigenous languages, it has become of immense imperative to draw attention to the neglect of our indigenous languages. This is necessitated because the neglect of our languages has resulted to the abuse and false assumption that our indigenous languages are insufficient to national development, peace building and reconciliation. It is worthy of note that no good development can be achieved without communication. A good communication system is a facet to a better development in any region. No matter the tribe, race, belief or people, communicating the precepts and processes for better understanding and follow up is imperative. This is made possible through language. As a matter of truth not just fact, the place of language in human development can never be undermined. It plays a major role in virtually every human endeavour. It relays the essence of human existence, s...

Linguist Egbilika Calls For Adoption, Acceptance, Recognition of Endoglossophobia

A Port Harcourt based Linguist and Indigenous Language Advocate, Mr. Josiah Egbilika has called for the adoption, acceptance and recognition of the word, ‘Endoglossophobia’, and its inclusion in the next production of various dictionaries online or hardcopies. Speaking in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Wednesday, Mr. Egbilika stated that ‘Endoglossophobia’ is not just a word, but a real-life situation which if not handled can result in the extinction of indigenous languages. Noting that the situation is not only common in Nigeria or Africa but global, the Linguist enjoined that it be given the attention it deserves. By way of definition, Egbilika who holds a Master of Arts Degree in Linguistics, defined Endoglossophobia as the feeling of unease, apprehension, worry, irritation or nervousness experienced in learning or using either in speech or writing, one’s indigenous language or dialect. The indigenous language advocate, who stated that Endoglossophobia, simply put is the...

Language Health

Search This Blog