VC fears for extinction of Nigerian culture
Vice-Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Malete, Professor Abdulrasheed Na'Allah, yesterday warned that Nigerian culture and tradition may become extinct if efforts are not made to revive them.
He specifically referred to the Ilorin emirate community in Kwara State which he noted was blessed with rich culture, traditions and folklores which have distinguished the city, but noted that some aspects of the culture have virtually become extinct.
Na'Allah, a Professor of English, Comparative Poetics and Performance, was delivering the second public lecture titled, "Contributions of Ilorin Islamic Oral Genres to Yoruba Tradition" organised by Centre for Ilorin Studies, University of Ilorin.
He cautioned that Ilorin might lose its rich culture and tradition to the current obsession with foreign languages and traditions, saying that many people are fond of speaking English to their children.
"You have never been to even Lagos, let alone London or New York City, you are just in Ilorin and you speak English to your children. It just baffles me because these children, if you look at the English they speak, it is terrible. So you are starting your child with terrible, rotten English that is even more terrible than Pidgin", he said.
He stressed that adopting foreign language and culture is not a yardstick for development, observing that most citizens of China, which is one of the largest economies in the world, do not speak English.
"For us, we are so eager to forget our own language, to forget our culture, to forget our tradition and I want to say that Ilorin, which is the topic of this discussion, is making a major mistake. If it continues this way."
The Grand Khadi of Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Salihu Mohammed, also expressed regret that Nigeria is losing its identity which is not good for the growth and development of the country.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Crystal Corner Shops Yeketi Gbajabiamila Gani Saadu Firdaos Amasa Nagode Hassan Taiye Salam Joseph Offorjama Budo-Egba Kassim Babamale Sam Onile Tunji Oyawoye Isaac Aderemi Kolawole Abdulwasiu Bolaji Adeyi Adeleke Ogungbe Ahman Patigi NURTW Chief Of Staff Oni Adebayo Adeola Abraham Taofeek Ibraheem Bayo Mohammed Onimode Mazars Consulting Zubair Folorunsho Erubu Abubakar Baba Sulaiman Ahmad Lawan Olaoye B. Felix Bola Sagaya JUSUN Ronke Adeyemi ITP All Peoples Party Afolabi-Oshatimehin Adenike Harriet Aisha Ahman Pategi Twitter Tunji Ajanaku Balogun-Ojomu Kwara State Council Of Chiefs Mutawali Taofik Abdulkareem Babaita Sola Saraki Educational Foundation Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu Lanre Badmus Shehu Adaramaja Issa Memunat Moyosore SSA Youth Engagement Tunde Kazeem Umar Saro Pakata Gbemisola Saraki Tunji Arosanyin Wahab Isa Ayobami Seriki Solomon Edojah Kaiama Al-Hikmah Radio Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke Popo-Igbonna Plat Technologies Ganmo Medview Airlines March 18 George Funsho Adebayo Ibrahim Agboola Gambari Olatunde Michaels Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar Olumide Daniel Ibitoye Oke-Ero Michael Nzwekwe Olupako IHS Towers Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan Ike Ekweremadu Sulyman Abdulkareem Public Holiday Mashood Dauda Jide Oyinloye

