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.
General Hospital, Ilorin LAK Jimoh Eghe Igbinehi Sheriff Shagaya Abdulkareem Alabi Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah Dankaka Ilorin South Quareeb Muhammed Danjuma Shehu Adaramaja Abubakar Abdulraheem Bolakale Kawu Alanamu AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah Lanre Issa-Onilu Woro Kabir Shagaya Sobi FM Cornelius Adebayo Katibi Ibraheem Adeola International Public Sector Accounting Standards Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan Aliyu Salihu Sarah Jubril Jimoh Akani Communication Network Support Services CBT Offa Poly Jimoh Bashir Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation Ben Duntoye Oniwasi Agbaye Olomu Pacify Labs Issa Baba Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu Saba Mamman Daniel Bayo Ajia Abdulsalam A. Yusuf AbdulGaniyu Kareem KWACOBPA Abdulmutalib Shittu Sulu Babaita Isiaka Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa Kwara-SAPZ Project Kunle Akogun Umar Gunu Olatunde Michaels Abdulrahman Iliasu Mohammed Saidu Abdulrazaq Solihudeen Kaosarah Adeyi College Of Education Radio SBS Kwara Volleyball Association SDP Dunmade IF-K James Ayeni Mahmud Ajeigbe Dele Momodu Ojuekun Sarumi Taofeek Ibraheem Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita Eruku CCEPE Vishvas KOZ Tractors AbdulHakeem Ajibola Akanbi Ilorin General Hospital Elese Of Igbaja Ishola Moses Abiodun Aro Yahaya David Adesina Muftau Akanbi Oke Olatunji Ibrahim

