Follow Us on Google
By Gabriel Dike
The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Prof. Bidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye, has made a passionate appeal to South West governors to make compulsory the teaching and use of Yoruba Language in all its affairs including in schools.
Prof. Lafiaji-Okuneye, who canvassed this position recently, said the emulation of the Lagos State policy would help preserve the language and boost its teaching in schools as obtained in the state.
She said the signing of Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion Law in 2018 has helped to push the teaching of the language to the front burner in the state.
The LASUED VC explained that as soon as the state governor signed the law, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) started the teaching of the language at NCE 100 and 200 levels same year as compulsory course.
Lafiaji- Okuneye said when the college was converted to university of education; LASUED commenced the teaching of Yoruba in the Department of Nigerian Languages under the General Studies (GST).
She acknowledged that lecturers in LASUED Department of Nigerian Language took up the challenge as soon as the state government made Yoruba language compulsory in schools including tertiary institutions.
“It is important for every state in the South West to emulate the Lagos State initiative of making Yoruba language compulsory in all its affairs and in the schools. The South West states should adopt the Yoruba language policy to preserve the language,” she stated.
According to her, the LASUED Senate approved the teaching of Yoruba in 2022 as a GNS course and in the 2022/2023 academic session, students registered and wrote the examination, which is compulsory and they must pass the course.
“As a provost of ADCOED, I met the policy and when the state government converted the college to university, we immediately started teaching the course at 100 level under GNS. LASUED lecturers are doing well in teaching the course.
“Our lecturers are happy with the state government policy and they have taken up the challenge. The lecturers in Nigerian Language Department have come up with new innovation of teaching the course. The law says students must have credit pass in Yourba before been offered admission in any Lagos State tertiary institutions, “she added.
The VC said in the 2022/2023-admission exercise, some students, who applied for English and French courses were moved to Yoruba Language.
She added: “The law is for the preservation of Yoruba Language. That is why students seeking admission in tertiary institutions in Lagos State must pass Yoruba either in WAEC or NECO. Students not offered English but moved to Yoruba are enjoining the course.
“There are Yoruba books in the library but students don’t visit the library. LASUED is the only university teaching the course for a whole session. We have 12 lecturers in the department; two with PhD, some pursing their doctorate while others are senior lecturers with masters.”
The VC said the reason for the upsurge in students offered admission to study Yoruba Language is because LASUED management were proactive to move students who couldn’t secure admission in English and French to Yoruba.
The acting Head of Department of Nigerian Language, Dr. Dayo Akamu told The Education Report that as soon as the law was signed, the institution started implementing it in 2018/2019 academic session.
His words: ‘‘the course is offered in the first and second semester. We are the first tertiary institution must to teach Yoruba Language. Our students were taught, examined and graded in Yoruba Language in the just concluded session.”
Dr. Akamu commended LASUED management for Keying into the Lagos State language policy and ensuring the take-off of the teaching of Yoruba language at NCE level and at undergraduate level.
“Our university, LASUED is the only university that is teaching Yoruba for one whole session in the South West. Yoruba is taught as GNS course, 1st semester 100 level and 2nd semester 200 level.
“So far, our 100 level students have been taught, examined and graded in the last session. We are now in 2023/2024 session where the teaching of GST Yoruba will continue with our 200 level students.’’
