From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

The Special Presidential Visitation Panel set up to probe the removal of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, will submit its report in two weeks.

Ogundipe was removed by the Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council over allegations of financial infractions.

Last Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari announced the setting up of the special panel, saying he had no personal interest other than that of the university.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, speaking during the inauguration of the seven-member panel, chaired by Prof Tukur Sa’ad, said it had two weeks to complete its assignment and submit a report to the Federal Government.

Adamu advised the panel chairman to focus its probe only on the  crisis rocking the university.

He said the Federal Ministry of Education, over the past one year, had been inundated with complaints and correspondences from the management and the UNILAG Governing Council as well as the National Assembly on lingering governance issues in the institution, including allegations of financial infractions and breach of responsibilities.

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He said: “I will like to assure the chairman of the panel that in this case there will be no influence on you or UNILAG by the Visitor and I also assure you that the visitation panel is only on the issue of the crisis in UNILAG.

“Over the past one year, the ministry has been inundated with complaints and correspondences from the management and the Governing Council of the University of Lagos as well as the National Assembly, on lingering governance issues in the institution, including allegations of financial infractions and breach of responsibilities.

“The face-off has lingered on unabated, in spite of several interventions by the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Education, many stakeholders and the National Universities Commission [NUC), eventually leading to the removal of Prof Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe as vice-chancellor by the University Governing Council during its meeting of Wednesday, 12th August 2020. The council thereafter appointed an acting vice-chancellor to fill the void.”

The minister said Ogundipe’s removal further opened up a plethora of accusations and counter-accusations. He appealed to stakeholders in the university to  cooperate with the panel and to allow it to work unhindered.

“It is instructive to note that the decision of Council, instead of stabilising the University of Lagos, only managed to open up a plethora of accusations and counter-accusations.

“Due process was alleged not to have been followed in the removal and appointment of the vice-chancellor and the acting vice-chancellor.

“This led to the widespread protests, outright rejection and lack of acceptability of the acting vice-chancellor by the university community,” the minister stated.

Chairman of the panel, Prof Sahad, thanked the minister for finding the members of the committee worthy of carrying out the national assignment.

He said the panel would put in its best to ensure the resolution of the crisis, while calling on the Governing Council as well as the Senate to give them full cooperation in the course of discharging their duties.

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Bowen University, Iwo in Osun State has built a poultry of over 500 fowls to boost its revenue base.

At the inauguration of the project, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joshua Ogunwale, disclosed that the poultry would produce 159 crates of eggs daily.

Ogunwale, urged members of staff and students to patronise the poultry.  He also said the university would start more businesses to make the institution self-sufficient and to raise quality of life on campus.

He reiterated the commitment of the university management to making the institution the best.

Read Also: Bowen Varsity cautions Nigerians against deforestation

He acknowledged the university’s Governing Council support in making the environment on the campus and its academic standard second to none.

The VC also disclosed that the institution had renovated the College of Computer and Communication Studies, which was constructed between 2013 and 2018.

A 33/KVA injection sub-station and 288-bed female hostel were also inaugurated at the event.

Our Reporter

The Vice Chancellor, The First Technical University, Ibadan, Prof. Ayobami Salami, has stressed the need for entrepreneurial and vocational education to make students market-ready and competitive.

Salami made this call on Tuesday, during the matriculation of 184 new students at the institution.

He said entrepreneurial and vocational educational were key to bridging the employment gap. He said that the Tech-U decided to combine practice with theory because the supply of graduates continued to surpass available jobs in the country.

He said: “So, we have a vision and roadmap that will present you, our students, with valuable options when you graduate from here. My dear new students, we know you will need the good jobs upon your graduation, but you will also be in a position to establish on your own and become creators of your earnings and employers of others. You will need the market but the market will also need you based on what we will have imparted in you at the end of your study at the Tech-U.

Read Also: TECH-U’s disruptive model right for Nigeria, says VC

“This is guaranteed by the nature of our curriculum that combines theory with the practical. The First Technical University is unique not only because it is a pioneer in its area of specialisation, but also because of its corrective orientation. The Tech-U is bold, resolute but pragmatic in terms of the core vision of bridging the skill gaps that exist in the country’s educational system. Far from being another factory of job seekers, we are a nurturing ground for entrepreneurs, those who really make the difference in the life of our nation.”

During the programme, the university presented its 3s scholars, being those who are currently on the First Class grade.  All the scholars get N10, 000 monthly stipend, courtesy of the Josephus Foundation.

Also showcased were those the university call the Tech-U entrepreneurship – eight of them – who have distinguished themselves in the entrepreneurial and creative world, despite being students.

The event, which was preceded by a Parents’ Forum, had in attendance dignitaries that included the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Oyo State, Mrs Funmilayo Orisadeyi; and mother of the state Governor, Mrs. Abigail Makinde

By Olabisi Salau

Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Egbe Akomo lede ati asa Yoruba, Lagos branch, celebrated its 50th anniversary at Ikeja Grammar School, Oshodi, Lagos last Wednesday with the aim of elevating the language and rewarding its supporters.

Distinguished personalities involved in the development of the Yoruba language across Nigeria attended the event to celebrate the association which takes pride in celebrating the Yoruba language and culture in Lagos State.

Chairman of the group, Mrs. Olaide Olaitan, said the importance of the event was to create awareness about the Yoruba language and encourage parents and teachers to contribute to promoting the language.

“Many people, mostly parents in Nigeria, believe if they allow their children to speak Yoruba Language they won’t succeed or be something in life which is not so.  The language helps them intellectually and they understand easily with Yoruba language (their mother tongues) because the language we are not proud of other people from other countries come to Nigeria to learn so what is stopping us the owners of the language from using and practicing it,” Olaitan said.

Read Also: Preserving Nigeria’s language heritage

Mrs. Olaitan, who also chairs the Chairman, Association of Teachers of Yoruba Language and Culture of Nigeria, Lagos, underscored the need for more teachers of the Yoruba language, calling on the government to train new teachers to cater for the large student population in Lagos schools.

In his speech, law maker representing Badagry in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Setonji David, called on government to make the language compulsory at secondary school level.

“The only way our language won’t go into extinction is to make them compulsory to students at schools, just like the requirements needed for secondary school students going to institutions needs some subject to pass it exam, our language should also be included as a criteria needed,” he said.

Awards were presented to various people who promote the Yoruba language.

Some of the awardees included: the Jumo Lobun of Ondo kingdom, High Chief Modupe Oluwole; Institute of professional speech master and linguistic proficiency, Mrs. Feyikemi Oyaleke; and the Balogun of Gbogan land, High Chief Onikeepe Kazeem.

With five Nigerian languages among the top 100 languages spoken worldwide, Nigeria is conspicuous on the world language map.  However, a lot needs to be done to preserve the languages. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE reports.

Five languages spoken in Nigeria are among the top 100 most spoken languages around the world.  The Visualcapitalist.com lists Hausa, Yoruba, Nigerian Pidgin, Igbo and Nigerian Fulfulde among popular languages of the world – boasting of between 14 million and 63 million native and non-native speakers.

The Hausa Language, ranked 27th in the world with 63 million speakers, has an Afro-Asiatic origin.  Many of the language’s 44 million native speakers are from parts of Chad, Niger, Northern Cameroon and Central African Republic and Nigeria.

The Yoruba Language, with 40 million speakers, is ranked 39th on the list of 100.  It is of Niger-Congo origin together with the Igbo Language (ranked 52); and Nigerian Fulfulde (ranked 79th).  Igbo Language has 27 million total/native speakers; while the Nigerian Fulfulde has 14 million speakers in all.

The fifth language, the Nigerian Pidgin English Language, is of Indo-European origin and is ranked 50th most spoken language in the world with 30 million speakers.

While it is commendable that Nigeria has these languages on the world map, the survival of indigenous languages has been cause for concern globally.  The concern was what influenced the introduction of the International Mother Language Day in year 2000.  It is celebrated yearly on February 21, to call attention to the need to preserve the world’s language diversity.

According to the United Nations, about 43 per cent of the world’s 6,000 languages are in danger of extinction; while most are not used in education.

“At least 43 per cent of the estimated 6,000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world,” a statement on the UN website notes.

In her message to commemorate this year’s International Mother Language Day last Friday, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Ms. Audrey Azoulay, said the survival of indigenous languages was key to achieving quality education.  She lamented that this was a barrier for 40 per cent of world’s population forced to learn in a foreign language.

She said: “Moreover,  mother  tongues  are  valuable allies  in our  efforts  to  achieve  quality  education for all. In fact, as UNESCO studies have shown, studying in a language which  is  not  one’s  own  interferes  with  learning  and  increases  inequalities.  Yet according to the most recent estimates, 40% of the world’s citizens find themselves in this situation. Bilingual or multilingual education based on students’ mother tongue not  only  encourages  learning,  but  also  contributes  to  understanding  and  dialogue  among peoples.”

According to worldpopulationreview.com, Nigeria has over 520 local languages. However, many of them are in danger of extinction due to globalisation. To preserve Nigeria’s varied language diversity, experts recommend a multi-prong approach that involves efforts by the home, school and government.

Dr. Carol Anyagwa of the English Department, University of Lagos (UNILAG), said the languages must be used in schools, at home and be promoted by government.

“The first thing is to use these languages in teaching in school and within the home.  Basically, what happens is that most people not residing where their mother tongue is not spoken adopt the English language instead.  When you teach the younger generation in English, they will not carry on the language as they grow.

“Most of these languages are already adulterated.  Many words no longer have their local versions.  You find people mixing the languages with English – code switching – while speaking.  They cannot speak a sentence of local language without adding English,” she said.

The Nigerian national policy on education stipulates that children should be taught in the local language or language of the environment at pre-school and lower primary school levels.  However, this is not effective, especially in urban centres.

Dr. Anyagwa said the policy was difficult to implement in urban centres which adopt English.

“That part of the policy is not happening.  When you say language of the environment, what do you mean?  In Lagos, the language of the environment is Yoruba but really how many localities in Lagos do we have where they speak mostly Yoruba except the interiors? So, the language of the environment in Lagos is English,” she said.

To use local languages as language of instruction in schools, Dr. Anyagwa said there must be a ready supply of teachers versed in the use of those languages.

“Teaching them in school will only be certain if there are qualified teachers.  But how many people apply to study Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa in the university?  Those that study these courses do it grudgingly after they do not get their course of choice.  Some of them even drop out after a few years to re-write the examination to do other courses.

“To get more teachers to study the local language, there are things that the government can do to motivate people.  If you give scholarships, government would make these courses attractive.  If not for the interest, people would subscribe for the incentives.  Presently, there are very few teachers such that when there is finally need for translators, you will look everywhere and you cannot find them.  You find it difficult to get people who can translate Igbo into English,” she said.

Encouraging publication of books in indigenous languages would also help preserve them.  Dr. Anyagwa said the Yoruba Language was doing well in this regard.

A journalist with Yoruba newspaper, Mr. Taofeek Afolabi, believes the language would survive because it is well documented in written form, especially with the existence of many Yoruba newspapers.

“Yoruba will not die. Thank God for newspapers like Gbelegbo, Alaroye, and others putting it in written form to preserve it,” said Afolabi, who writes for Gbelegbo.

He, however, said the best way to preserve a language was for it to be spoken at home.  He said establishing the culture of speaking only Yoruba in his home helped his children to excel in school.

“My children speak only Yoruba at home.  Before they start school, they do not understand English. My neighbours said it would affect them but today they top their classes.  My son went for a UNICEF competition where he was to speak on child abuse. Before the competition, I discussed child abuse with him in Yoruba, giving him various examples. When he went for the competition, they marveled that such a small boy could speak so well.  He came second.  If parents will speak Yoruba to their wards at home, they would learn,” he said.

A Deputy Director in the Department of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, Mr. Funso Aderibigbe, is sure Nigeria’s indigenous languages would fare better once a national policy is in place.

He said in an interview that the committee inaugurated by the education minister, Adamu Adamu to draft the policy last year plans to present the national language policy blue print on May 29.

He said: “The Federal Ministry of Education has kick-started the development of a national language policy.  A national technical committee saddled with the development of the policy was inaugurated by the Minister in 2019 and is chaired by the President of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, Prof. Harrison Adeniyi.

“What the committee wants to achieve is to develop a national policy so there would no longer be policy summersaults and to step up the interest of Nigerians in these languages.  If we make our children to be more proficient in our languages, it will help them in picking other languages and learning in school.  The committee is working assiduously to present a blue print to the Minister of Education by May 29.

“In the absence of a national policy, there have been lots of policy summersaults.  Decades ago, there was a policy that taking a Nigerian Language was compulsory for Senior School Certificate Examination; years later the NERDC came and said it was no longer compulsory.

“The committee has developed research instruments to get the feelings of Nigerians about their languages.  The next phase is the design, sensistization and advocacy visits to all 36 states of Nigeria; followed by administration of the questionnaires.  After that we will present our blue print.”