OGUN ANA PARTNERS CRESCENT UNIVERSITY TO SET UP ARTS COMMUNITY

... ANA TO PLAY ROLE IN CRESCENT UNI'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 

Members of the Association of Nigerian Authors,(ANA), Ogun State Chapter led by the Chairman, Dr. Chris Omotosho converged on the precinct of Crescent University, Abeokuta to celebrate the postponed 2025 World Poetry Day with readings and lectures.

Delivering the key note address, the Head of Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Kola Adesina, urged Nigerians to ensure young ones learn their indigenous languages to get well rounded education.

The scholar who referred to his generation as the "one that buried itself" adding that Yoruba language was currently in coma because those under 20 years of age cannot sustain communication without mixing with English language.

Referencing Professor David Crystal's paper "Disappearing Languages", Sam Taylor Coleridge's definition of Education as " what remains after forgetting everything learnt in school" as well as Coleridge's wife declaration that "I am happy schooling did not disturb my education", Dr. Adesina averred that such students only received fifty per cent education.

He shared two poems titled "The Sky Is Wide Enough" and "Moving Poetry" written by Award winning poet, Professor Niyi Osundare and contributed to Issue No 5 of "African Concern", a journal he edited in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Kola Adesina said he won an award for his work on Fela Anikulapo Kuti adding that it was difficult for a second language user to excel in another person's language.

He decried the loss of our cultural values which were either despised, demonised or disparaged by colonialists adding that it was unfortunate that we now live in what late Bob Marley tagged "Concrete Jungle" devoid of natural flora and fauna of village life and education.

He said as second users of English language we can only speak in English but cannot really understand the nuances as we first think in our indigenous languages before translating to source languages.

"Let us go back to our roots as a river that forgets its source will dry up!", Dr. Adesina declared.

Also speaking, a former Vice Chairman, Ogun ANA, Dr. Lucky Aikabeli backed Dr. Adesina's call for promotion of our indigenous languages adding that William Shakespeare was recently celebrated for adding 1,700 words to the English dictionary.

Former two-term Ogun ANA Chairman, Elder Dada Olanipekun, charged writers to endeavour to write in their mother tongues to save the languages from extinction.

Welcoming all, ANA Ogun Chairman, Dr. Chris Omotosho, thanked Crescent University for accommodating Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) promising to institute a branch on campus in due course.

After the event, Crescent University Governing Board led by the Proprietor, Prince Ma'ruf Adesegun Ajibola, SAN and the Registrar, Barrister Zakariya Ajibola hosted Ogun ANA members and promised to give ANA prominent role in the forthcoming activities to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of Crescent University, Abeokuta.