As schools and stakeholders observed mothers’ tongue day, Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure under the leadership of Mrs. Temitope Ojoge has properly positioned the numerous students of the school on how to keep their native language for the sake of posterity.
While having a chat with the Democrat News Magazine and other Journalists in Ondo State, the school Principal, Mrs. Temitope Ojoge said February 21 has been set aside to observe Language as a way to keep the mothers’ tongue alive.
Mrs. Ojoge said with the strategies put in place by her school, Yoruba language cannot go into extinction by 2050 as projected by some schools of thoughts.
“Like I told them this morning, as Yoruba is celebrating this day, so should Igbo and Hausa because of the importance attached to native language.
“I told them a little story of one of my aunt in Oversees Country. She was called by the school authority that she should come and pick her child for wrong doing and she came to the school and asked the child in Yoruba language what was the matter?
The child explained that they are just showing discrimination because he is a black man and performed better than his white counterparts, they the woman took it up with them and the child obtained his freedom. It is just because the child understands Yoruba language.
“Because of this, we make it our custom to speak Yoruba to our Students every Friday from Assembly until closing. So that anywhere they found themselves tomorrow it will be useful for them.
She pointed out that one of the ways, to keep Yoruba language for posterity is to allow Yoruba language every Friday in all schools so that the present generation of youths can learn the language effectively.
Mrs. Ojoge also called on parents to endeavour to speak Yoruba to their children at home stressing that many parents usually communicate with their children in English at home at the detriment of their native language.
“Unfortunately, many parents who don’t understand English properly will be forcing themselves to speak English to their children by so doing they will not understand English and the Yoruba properly.
Also in her comment, a teacher of Yoruba language from Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure, Mrs. Mercy Oniye said the native language day has a way of uniting all the concerned people because of their large numbers.
She commended Ooni of Ife and Alafin Oyo for the help provided to ensure that Yoruba language is kept for posterity saying that the language will help for better understanding.
“Professor Fafunwa used Yoruba Language to teach Chemistry and other subjects perceived to be difficult by students and they all made A1 in those subjects, just because of good understanding of the language,” she added.