The Foundation for the Preservation of Yoruba Culture and Heritage has urged parents to speak Yoruba to their children at home to prevent the language from going into extinction.
This call was made at the 2nd Annual Global Yoruba History and Heritage Celebration held on June 3, 2025, at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The gathering, themed "Yoruba Ti Goke Agba," emphasized the need for collective efforts to ensure the Yoruba language and culture thrive.
According to the communiqué issued at the event, by the Foundation's global President, Barrister Kehinde Somoye and the Chairman Organising Committee of the event, Oloye Lekan Alabi, who is the Maye Olubadan, the best way to preserve the language is by speaking it at home and christening children with Yoruba names.
The gathering also noted that black people must assert themselves and avoid inferiority complexes that might lead them to deny their languages and culture.¹
Key Highlights of the Communique:
- Unity and Cooperation: The gathering identified lack of unity and cooperation as major setbacks to preserving Yoruba language and culture.
- Yoruba's Contributions: The Yoruba people were described as knowledgeable, civilized, and frontliners in various spheres of life, including law, medicine, literature, and politics.
- Call to Action: The Ogun State government was urged to make Yoruba language compulsory in schools and more relevant in tertiary institutions.
Remaining Points from the Communique:
- Challenges of Commercialization: Commercialization in broadcasting has led to the infiltration and adulteration of the Yoruba language, prioritizing profit over cultural sensitivity.
- Selection of Obas: The process of selecting Obas in Yorubaland has been infiltrated, polluted, and compromised, requiring a rethink.
- Use of Yoruba Language in Teaching: The gathering advocated for using Yoruba language in teaching to attain greater technological heights, citing examples from China and India.
- Government Support: Government should take the preservation of Yoruba language and culture seriously, as no one would do it from the outside.
- Commercial Influence on Content: Commercialization in broadcasting compromises the authenticity and integrity of local languages and cultures.
- Additional Recommendations
:
- Make Yoruba more relevant in tertiary institutions
- Adopt speaking Yoruba language for additional days in the House of Assembly
- Value and appreciate Yoruba language and culture
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