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.
Okasanmi Ajayi Okin Group Owode Market Olayinka Are Olaitan Adefila KWSIEC Ibrahim Mohammed Binta Sulyman Saliu Alamoyo Vasolar Marufat Oladosu James Ayeni Ibrahim Gambari Student Learning Support Helpline Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange Public Holiday Sa\'adu Salau Metro Park Tosho Yaqub Olatunde Oyeyiola Facemasks Ibrahim Akaje Sanitation Exercise Kayode Oyin Zubair Oke-opin Musibau Akanji 08001000100 Baboko Primary School Barakat Community Secondary School Adewuyi Funmilayo Afolabi-Oshatimehin Femi Oladiji Bilikis Oladimeji Shuaib Boni Aliyu LAK Jimoh Olam Food Ingredients David Oyerinola Adedunmoye Shao Ibrahim Taiwo Kwara State Television (KWTV) Wahab Kunle Shittu Isiaka AbdulRazaq Kamaldeen Gambari General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Joana Nnazua Kolo NITDA Baba Issa Awoye Ajikobi Adebayo Salami Adesoye College Awoye Federal Polytechnic Offa Alabere Is\'haq Modibbo Kawu Ajayi Okasanmi Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Plat Technologies Limited Tunji Folami John Obuh PharmAccess Foundation Dagbalodo Standard Organization Of Nigeria Al-Ilory Senior Special Assistant On Student Affairs Saka Isau Kwara Consultative Forum Umar Adelodun Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa Ronke Adeyemi Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation Babata Olusin Of Ijara Isin Ridwan Agboola Local Government Pension Board Rebecca Olanrewaju Toyosi Thomas Isau

