Academy inducts 46, demands mother tongue education

The Nigerian Academy of Letters has inducted 46 new members, emphasizing the critical need to decolonize classrooms and promote indigenous languages. The academy argues that prioritizing mother tongue education is essential for national identity and development.

During the 28th convocation ceremony in Lagos, Academy President Prof. Andrew Haruna delivered a lecture on "Mother Tongue Education Policy and the Path to Nation-Building." He stressed that using foreign languages as the primary medium of instruction hinders learning and fractures students' identities. Haruna called for a shift towards indigenous languages to foster a stronger sense of national belonging and intellectual growth.

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When a child is forced to master a foreign language before understanding the concept being taught, we do not merely delay learning, we fracture their identity.

Professor Oladele Balogun, a newly inducted Fellow, echoed these concerns, warning that Nigerian languages face extinction. He highlighted the role of parents, scholars, and the government in actively promoting their use among younger generations. Balogun noted that many children, particularly those educated abroad, are losing touch with their linguistic heritage and cultural values.

The academy also criticized Nigeria's policy implementation, suggesting the country has ample laws but struggles to translate them into effective action. The call for prioritizing mother tongue education aims to preserve cultural heritage and strengthen national cohesion.

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We are not devoting more time to all these indigenous languages, and I believe that the time has come now for us to do that, so that all these languages are not going to extinction.