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.
Yakubu Shaaba Salami Adekunle UNIFEMGA Law School Scholarship Ajasse-Ipo Lawal Jimoh Waziri Yakubu Gobir Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu Saka Adeyemo Ibrahim Taiwo Abdulfatah Ahmed EndSARS Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani Daud Adeshola Samuel Adedoyin Bilikisu Oniyangi Galadiman Ngeri Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange Susan Modupe Oluwole Tinubu Legacy Forum QuickWin Clement Yomi Adeboye Isiaka Abdulrazak Kwara State Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations Gabriel Fashanu Abiodun Oyedepo Bahago Hamza Usman Chief Of Staff Gbemisola Oguntimehin Tope Daramola Apata Ajele Secondary School Kisira Halidu Danbaba Abraysports FC Nurudeen Muhammed Hassan Oyeleke Iyaloja-General Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund Abubakar Olusola Saraki Baruba Age AbdulKareem Alaaya Akanji Saka Asiat Ayinke Playing Host Wakilin Mata Lafiagi Association Of Kwara State Online Media Practitioners Seed Technologies Read With Me Gobir Organization Foundation Government High School Adeta Shuaib Boni Aliyu Sarafadeen Kayode Akorede Atiku Abubakar Shuaib Jawondo All Peoples Party Riskat Opakunle Lanre Aremu Ojuekun Nnazua Prince Bola Ajibola Amina El-Imam Chief Imam Of Ilorin ITP Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke Babatunde Ishola Babaita Saduki Lafiagi Labaeka Habeeb Saidu Na\'Allah Bashiru Makama National Broadcasting Commission NURTW Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla Babaloja-General Abdulwahab Oba

