Address By Her Excellency Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, Deputy Governor, Lagos State, At The Formal Opening Of Indigenous Language Programme Organised By The National Institute For Cultural Orientation On Friday, July 30, 2010.
It gives me great joy to be here today to join all other well meaning Nigerians who are determined to ensure that our cultural heritage remain a part of our live. I am particularly delighted to lend my voice to yours in our spirited efforts at reviving our local languages which believe is very important in order to secure our tomorrow.
On behalf of the Lagos State Government I congratulate the management and staff of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) under the able leadership of its Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma. I commend you all for your good work and for regularly putting the issue of our languages in public discourse.
I am told that our gathering today is the fourth of its type and is specifically targeted at encouraging our youths, not only to communicate in local languages, but also to be able to internalize and appreciate the rich Nigerian culture through an understanding and use of our languages.
As we are all aware, the importance of mother tongue in societal growth and development cannot be overemphasized. I am aware also that anyone with an understanding of his cultural background is bound to appreciate his history and respect it.
Culture is the guiding force of every group and society just as it is also the driving force of all actions that people make individually and collectively.
Culture has also been identified as a major tool for development, especially because it helps to promote unity among the people which is germane for national growth and development.
However, culture would not be appreciated and sustained if the basic tool for its transmission, that is the language, is not encouraged or ignored. We cannot however talk of culture without a focus language.
Language helps to highlight the cultural heritage of a people and encourage its appreciation. Through language, we are able to internalize, understand and also showcase our cultural heritage.
Language links the past with the future and unite people of all ages. Little wonder therefore that people who understand and speak the same language flock together and are usually well united.
I believe that an understanding of our language and its appreciation will help to correct the wrong notion that African race is backward and that its culture is inferior.
As a mother, I feel pained when I see young adults speak flawless English, but unable to speak or use their mother tongue. Though I realize that it has become a status symbol to communicate with our children in our homes in foreign languages, we should learn to do this alongside our local languages in view of the immense benefits derivable from the use and understanding of such languages.
We may begin to look into the issue of moral decadence in our society and what we have done wrongly to encourage this. It is disheartening to see some of our youths display habits and practices alien to our culture, such as foul languages, lack of respect for elders and constituted authority, indecent and provocative dressing, among others.
The time has come for us as a people to begin to think of how we can use our culture to showcase the uniqueness of Nigeria and the greatness of her people.
As a government we will not relent on our efforts to promote local languages based on our conviction that language help to promote an understanding of government policies and programmes and also encourage active participation of the people in government activities just as we are also convinced that it would ensure a well adjusted society.
Following this realization, the Lagos State Government has continued to implement the National Policy on Language in our schools which specifies the learning of one other language aside from that of the environment.
Aside from this, we also distribute free Yoruba text books in public schools in the state under our free text book initiative as part of efforts to promote the use and understanding of Yoruba language among our students.
We are also committed to making the teaching of local language more interesting through the use of relevant teaching aid.
Let me at this juncture appeal to our parents to be mindful of the increasing influence of western culture on our youths and try to limit their exposure to them. Unbridled adoption of foreign culture erodes societal values.
A nation without culture is a nation without identity. Time has come for us to use the rich Nigerian culture to project to the world that Nigeria is truly a great nation with good people.
Let us together salvage our language from extinction. Once again I thank you all for your spirited effort at protecting our indigenous language.
I thank you for listening.
Eko o ni baje o.
Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan
Deputy Governor, Lagos State
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
