Sola Osofisan
12-05-2008, 09:53 PM
By Juliet Bumah
Published: Friday, 5 Dec 2008
Worried by the fast dwindling interest in the use of indigenous languages, especially the Yoruba language, the D.O Fagunwa Foundation has called for the implementation of the use of the indigenous languages in schools, as contained in the National Policy on Education, as well as the re-introduction of the study of Yoruba Literature into the school curriculum.
Chairman of the foundation, Mrs. Ibukunade Sijuwola made the call in Lagos during a news conference on the D.O. Fagunwa Memorial Lecture holding today in Ibadan. According to Sijuwola, schools in the country are not implementing the policy which made it mandatory for children of nursery school age up till primary three to be instructed in their mother tongues in schools.
On the annual lecture Sijuwola, the second child of the legendary Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa, better known as D.O. Fagunwa, said that Prof. Olaoye Abioye, a professor of French Studies at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, would be taking guests though the lecture topic, The Universality of D.O. Fagunwa. Professor Abioye translated one of Fagunwa’s mind-boggling novels, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale (1950) into French.
Chairman, Coordinating Committee of the Lecture Series, Chief Olu Falomo said the lecture series, which is in its second year, will be featuring intellectuals in the field who will be discussing problems that affect all of us. On the choice of the guest lecturer, Falomo said that since Prof. Abioye translated Fagunwa’s work into French, he is the right man to talk about the topic which, incidentally, is the Professor’s choice.
Speaking about her father who died when she was only two years old, Secretary of the Foundation, Miss Diwura Fafunwa said that she met her father on the pages of his novels and it never ceased to amaze her how a human mind could come up with such imaginative creations that her father is now associated with.
Chief Fagunwa wrote many epic novels in the Yoruba language. Some of the best known include Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole, Ireke Onibudo (1949), Igbo Odumare (1949), Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje (1954), Aditu Olodumare (1961) and many others.
To immortalize this legend of Yoruba literature, the foundation, apart from focusing on the development of the Yoruba language, literature and culture through the use of Fagunwa books in schools, is also planning to establish a D.O. Fagunwa Cultural Centre to house a multipurpose hall, a library for languages and many other projects.
The Punch: Fagunwa Foundation advocates study of Yoruba language (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200812050423062)
Published: Friday, 5 Dec 2008
Worried by the fast dwindling interest in the use of indigenous languages, especially the Yoruba language, the D.O Fagunwa Foundation has called for the implementation of the use of the indigenous languages in schools, as contained in the National Policy on Education, as well as the re-introduction of the study of Yoruba Literature into the school curriculum.
Chairman of the foundation, Mrs. Ibukunade Sijuwola made the call in Lagos during a news conference on the D.O. Fagunwa Memorial Lecture holding today in Ibadan. According to Sijuwola, schools in the country are not implementing the policy which made it mandatory for children of nursery school age up till primary three to be instructed in their mother tongues in schools.
On the annual lecture Sijuwola, the second child of the legendary Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa, better known as D.O. Fagunwa, said that Prof. Olaoye Abioye, a professor of French Studies at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, would be taking guests though the lecture topic, The Universality of D.O. Fagunwa. Professor Abioye translated one of Fagunwa’s mind-boggling novels, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale (1950) into French.
Chairman, Coordinating Committee of the Lecture Series, Chief Olu Falomo said the lecture series, which is in its second year, will be featuring intellectuals in the field who will be discussing problems that affect all of us. On the choice of the guest lecturer, Falomo said that since Prof. Abioye translated Fagunwa’s work into French, he is the right man to talk about the topic which, incidentally, is the Professor’s choice.
Speaking about her father who died when she was only two years old, Secretary of the Foundation, Miss Diwura Fafunwa said that she met her father on the pages of his novels and it never ceased to amaze her how a human mind could come up with such imaginative creations that her father is now associated with.
Chief Fagunwa wrote many epic novels in the Yoruba language. Some of the best known include Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole, Ireke Onibudo (1949), Igbo Odumare (1949), Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje (1954), Aditu Olodumare (1961) and many others.
To immortalize this legend of Yoruba literature, the foundation, apart from focusing on the development of the Yoruba language, literature and culture through the use of Fagunwa books in schools, is also planning to establish a D.O. Fagunwa Cultural Centre to house a multipurpose hall, a library for languages and many other projects.
The Punch: Fagunwa Foundation advocates study of Yoruba language (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200812050423062)