Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said there is a need for Nigeria to promote its local languages and culture to drive national development.
Soyinka said this while addressing reporters yesterday after visiting the Centre for Cultural Studies and Creative Arts at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) in Kwara State. It was part of activities lined up for the institution’s maiden Cultural Week.
The literary icon described a language as a repository of a people and community, adding that young people should be encouraged to understand the language of their forefathers.
According to him, language is a beautiful tool for expression.
“In the last head count, it was discovered that there were 300 languages in Nigeria.
“We need to learn foreign languages that are spoken and recognised around the world to develop ourselves and the country, but this should not be to the detriment of our local language.
“We need to learn to read, write, and invent in our local languages, even before we think or compose in other languages, to be able to conduct research and develop our country,” Soyinka said.
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The noble laureate stressed that there is a need to transform the old traditional ways of living into modern ones to get cultural value.
“This is by introducing the local foods, songs, and ways of solving issues in the past to modern-day living.
“We can start by asking our mothers how they did it perfectly in the past and use the method on our children.
“This is for them to be knowledgeable about their origin and make judicious use of the method to solve many issues in their present,” Soyinka said.
He also said that there is a need for local languages to be made compulsory in schools and for Nigerians to know their history and culture for them to be proud of their heritage.
“We need to cherish our culture and traditions as an African country to maintain our dignity and value.
The Vice Chancellor of UNILORIN, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, described Soyinka’s visit as a moment of pride and historical importance to the institution.
Egbewole, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), expressed the collective joy of the academic community for hosting a global cultural figure of Soyinka’s stature.
He noted that the establishment of the Centre for Cultural Studies and Creative Arts was inspired by a vision that aligned closely with the noble laureate’s lifelong dedication to arts and humanities.
The vice chancellor explained that the centre was conceptualised with figures like Soyinka in mind.
According to him, the initiative was borne out of genuine intentions to contribute meaningfully to cultural scholarship and global discourse.
Egbewole explained that the vision for the centre had been nurtured over time and had now materialised with students enrolled in programmes across various levels, including diploma, undergraduate, Master’s, and doctoral degrees.
The vice chancellor expressed optimism that the centre would grow to become one of the foremost institutions of its kind globally, especially with the involvement and endorsement of Prof. Soyinka.