That was when they came to the realisation that the language was becoming an endangered specie and there was need for an urgent action to reverse the ugly trend.
Part of the recommended solution was that students should from then on start conducting their morning devotion in pure Yoruba language every Wednesday and everything done on such days must also be in the same language.
To fully comply with the directive, both the National Anthem and National Pledge were translated into Yoruba and memorising them became another urgent assignment for every learner.
Quite as expected, all schools accepted the new order and every Wednesday saw it taking effect. But in the absence of proper enforcement, the zeal with which the idea was welcomed and complied with initially must have waned over a period of time and it’s doubtful if most schools still keep up with the Lagos State House of Assembly directive for Wednesdays.
The government however seems not to relent or rest on its oars in its bid to truly resuscitate the Yoruba language and ensure its rightful pride of place. Only a short while ago, the Lagos Ministry of Education directed that pupils in the elementary section of the state schools should be taught mainly in the Yoruba language.
While most people hailed the idea as a very good one, nobody seemed to remember that so many teachers of primary schools are non-Yoruba and may not be able to cope with such sudden order. Lagos as a former federal capital is a state that is all-encompassing and almost all the other states of the federation are adequately represented and so is the state’s Civil Service.
It’s inconceivable that education policy makers in the state would take such crucial decision without considering other factors that may militate against it. Even for those who are true Yoruba sons and daughters, how many are able to speak a flawless and pure Yoruba language?
While the Lagos State government is desirous of promoting the Yoruba language in order to prevent it from going into extinction, the biggest handicap that may likely hinder the government’s noble plan is the dearth of Yoruba language teachers in most of its secondary schools, basically because of scarcity of such teachers.
To address the problem, concerted efforts should now be made by the state government to liase with its colleges of higher learning to encourage admission seekers to embrace Yoruba language as a field of study that can guarantee immediate and prompt employment after graduation.
• Jide Oyewusi, retired Director of Education is also the Coordinator of Ethics Watch International, Lagos.
