Linguapax
Don makes case for indigenous languages
Oct 26, 2011 at 4:48 PM WAT
By Musa Odoshimokhe
AFRICA
A teacher at the Osun State University, Osogbo, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, has expressed concerned over the sorry state of indigenous languages, which are facing serious threat from foreign languages. He blamed the gradual disappearance of indigenous languages on British role as the sole controller of political and socio-economic machinery of Nigeria.
He spoke at the recent annual conference of the Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria (YSAN) organised at the university to reposition indigenous language. In his paper, entitled: The Tyranny of English Language and westernisation in Nigeria: The imperatives of indigenous Language and Cultural Promotion for Development, Oyeweso noted that colonial administration deliberately pursued a policy that discouraged the promotion of indigenous languages through the West African Education Ordinance, which was used to checkmate the Christian Missionaries who were seeking converts through the indigenous languages.
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