‘THE YORUBA LANGUAGE MAY SOON BECOME EXTINCT.’ – AFENIFERE

Babatunji Wusu –

According to Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organization, the Yoruba language may soon become extinct.

The group bemoaned the need for action to be taken to prevent this from occurring.

Afenifere asserted that people in the area are now substituting Yoruba for English in a communique sent out following its caucus meeting in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.

The organization demanded that state governments in the area adopt the language as the medium of instruction for students in elementary and lower secondary school.

Afenifere urged parents even more to make sure that their kids are raised to be literate in the language.

According to the communiqué, “Many Yorubas, especially elites, prefer to communicate with their children in English rather than in their native tongue, which has put the Yoruba language in danger of extinction,” Afenifere noted.

Therefore, Afenifere urged Yorubaland governments to use the language as the medium of instruction for primary and lower secondary school in order to save the language from extinction.

Additionally, mandate it for pupils taking school certificate examinations. Additionally, it urged guardians and parents to adopt a new mindset by making sure their kids are fluent in Yoruba.