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Stakeholders fault minister’s directive on mother tongue
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The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Wednesday revealed that the late Prof Babs Fafunwa recorded his numerous achievements in education and other areas by ensuring that his ideas resulted in positive outcomes for the good of the country.
Governor Otti also commended the Fafunwa Educational Foundation (FEF) for continuing to propagate his ideas and legacies even after his death in 2012.
The governor spoke in Lagos at the FEF’s 24th Annual Lecture/Symposium and the 19th Annual Post-Doctoral Awards in Education as well as the presentation of Babs Fafunwa: A Mini-Biography for Youngsters written by Prof Okey Ndibe.
His words: “Whatever good we see around us took its roots from the seed of an idea, it does not matter the size or complexity.
“Everything began as an inspired idea and developed through the rigours of continuous refinement until it became the marvel that further extends the boundaries of human possibilities.”
According to him, the event is to celebrate the legacy of a man whose ideas inspired generations of young people to find meaning in the vocation of learning, teaching and mentorship.
He disclosed that Prof Babatunde Fafunwa was a man of ideas, dreamer and pathfinder, a firm believer in the power of the mind, when trained, to accomplish great things.
Otti said it is fitting that every year, a day is set aside to bring intellectuals and men of ideas to reflect on the legacy of the giant whose passion for education opened, for tens of thousands of us, the path to self-discovery, service and fulfilment.
The Abia helmsman described Fafunwa as an icon and said he did more than thinking and theorising; he took bold steps to bring the brilliance of his ideas to life, made difficult sacrifices and lived his conviction until he drew his last breath in 2010.
He commended the Foundation for the nobility of its efforts at keeping alive the memory of their father and hero, Prof Fafunwa, who achieved great renown as Nigeria’s first professor of education.
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Otti acknowledged the immediate and extended family of Prof Fafunwa, his protégés and students for carrying forward the torch of integrity, curiosity and generosity which he lit through decades of labour and faith.
The governor noted that Fafunwa’s ideas will continue to shape how Nigerians interpret and interact with greatness.
He said the focus of this year’s event and the relevance of using mother tongues as the primary language of instruction in early education is relevant to the evolution of education in our different constituencies, especially at the foundational level.
“My position would be that if children and professionals in China suffer no disadvantage from learning in Mandarin, just like their counterparts in India or South Korea who started their learning in indigenous languages, then the fears against the use of indigenous languages for early-stage education in this part of the world may be exaggerated at best,” Otti noted.
In her remarks, the wife of the late Prof Fafunwa, Mrs Doris Fafunwa, said the former Minister of Education worked for what he believed was the common good of the people.
Represented by her daughter, Prof Sheri Ndibe, she said her husband took up challenges and worked in the best interest of the less privileged as well as stood by his ideas.
She acknowledged that Fafunwa pioneered the mother-tongue policy and tested it through several tests he conducted with school children.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, described Fafunwa as an icon in the education sector and advised that his legacies be sustained.
Alli-Balogun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Kasali Adeniran, described mother tongue as the future of the nation’s education delivery and said Fafunwa had raised the flag and commended the Foundation for keeping the flag flying.
