Former presidential aide and social media commentator, Reno Omokri has criticised Nigerian parents who are making extra efforts to see that their children are not Nigerian-like.
In a post shared on his Instagram page, Reno decried the rate at which many Nigerian parents are giving their children English names.
He opined that the Yoruba ethnic group has however stuck to giving their children local names.
His post reads: ”In England and America, you meet Western-born children of Western-born children of Yoruba parents, and they all have Yoruba names and can speak Yoruba. No exaggeration. Now, understand me. I am referring to children born to parents who were themselves born and raised abroad. These are third-generation immigrants. And they still speak Yoruba.
“Meanwhile, right there in Nigeria, many people can’t speak their native language, and God forbid that they bear their native names.
“Since you were born, how many Yoruba have you seen bearing Victor Moses or Joy James? But that is now the in thing in Southern Nigeria. You go to expensive private schools in Lagos and Abuja, and sadly, other than children of Yoruba parents, almost all the other children tend to bear European, Arabic or Hebrew names.
“Liam, Xavier, Aleona, Dwayne, Isabelle, Roberto. And when you see these children, you feel so sorry for them. Their parents do everything possible to de-Nigerianise them. Their hair, their dress, and sadly, even their skin. Oh yes. They now bleach children.
“I mean, how can you sit down and be in your right mind and then name your child Victor Moses? What a spectacular lack of imagination!
“Other than Yoruba, I am unsure how many Southern Nigerian languages will still be spoken in fifty years.
“In Nigeria and abroad, you have university professors of the Yoruba language. Professor Wande Abimbola, the former vice chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, is the first of many. He is not a professor of anything EXCEPT Yoruba. Yes. He read first degree, Masters and PhD in Yoruba and there are others like him!
“Let me ask you this question. How many professors of other Southern Nigerian languages have you heard about or seen?
“Learn from the Yoruba. Go to Peckham in London, and you will hear very serious Yoruba. If you are a JJC, you will think these are local Nigerians who just arrived in England. Try to speak English with them. When they answer you in perfect British English, you will realise that Ajoke is not a joke! Kemi Badenoch speaks Yoruba.”
