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.

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