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Experts in education have made us know that people first think in their mother tongues. Is that not a way of saying, you may succeed in taking a man out of the bush but you just can’t succeed in taking the bush out of the man?
Many of our kids, in Nigeria, go to schools where the mother tongue is regarded as vernacular. Some schools actually fine pupils who commit the capital offence of speaking in their mother tongues within the school premises.
I understand a former governor in the south west just did not feel like recruting Yoruba teachers. Incidentally, Ile’fe, the cradle of the Yorubas is located within that state.
My point is that a language that becomes so unfortunate to the extent of being discarded by its natives will naturally go extinct. I believe I hardly need to stress that language is an important part of culture.
What brought about this aroye?
The Oxford English Dictionary recently incorporated some Nigerian words and expressions. Ever before the recent feat, I happen to know that a word like dansiki, had been used in one dictionary or the other.
The English Language will continue to be popular for, at least, one reason. Its ability to take in other languages. Of course, when a language takes in words and expressions from other cultures, its own culture will be the better for it.
Could we return to the basics?
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