Lagos State University champions Yoruba language preservation during Yoruba Week 2024, urging parents and educators to embrace the language and culture.

Lagos State University’s Centre for Yoruba Studies has taken a proactive stand to preserve the Yoruba language, emphasising the critical role of community involvement and cultural pride.

The call was made during a public lecture commemorating Yoruba Week 2024, held at the university’s Ojo campus.

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This initiative aligns with the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Art, and Culture’s broader celebration of Yoruba heritage, first launched in September 2024.

The Centre’s Director, Ahmed Adesanya, affirmed the centre’s dedication to supporting government policy aimed at preserving the Yoruba language.

“We will actively back all efforts to secure and elevate the Yoruba language within Nigeria,” he said. Adesanya also voiced the centre’s ambition to make Yoruba a globally recognised language, underpinning its relevance both within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

In attendance was the Oniladaba of Ladaba, Oba Odedina Sikiru, who underscored the importance of preserving Yoruba culture.

He encouraged parents to ensure their children continue speaking the language at home, reinforcing a foundational respect for their roots.

“We mustn’t lose our language and culture,” Oba Sikiru stated, urging educators to integrate the language more prominently into the curriculum and to motivate students to use it in daily interactions.

Further supporting these sentiments, Francis Oluwagbenro, Olori Oluwo (Supreme Head) of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, warned that the loss of indigenous language signals a broader disconnect from cultural roots.

“The Yoruba language faces significant challenges, but we must identify and address these obstacles to ensure its survival,” he explained.

He noted that the diminishing use of Yoruba reflects a troubling trend and called for immediate, concerted efforts to reverse it.

The event highlighted several initiatives by the Lagos State University Centre for Yoruba Studies aimed at promoting and revitalising the Yoruba language.

The centre plans to offer more programmes and resources to engage students and the public in Yoruba literacy and cultural pride.

Yoruba Week 2024 serves as a critical reminder of the importance of cultural preservation, and the Centre for Yoruba Studies remains at the forefront of ensuring that the Yoruba language not only survives but flourishes in an increasingly globalised world.