What struck me lately and also forcefully is the way our indigenous
language is being consigned into the bin, as if it's a piece of
rubbish. Such disservice is being done on the following grounds: that
the language sounds uncivilized and lacks quite some reputation in the
world. Western civilization seems to have been set to rub off our
heritage, culture, and background and impose on us the ways and conducts
of the west mostly arrogantly with impertinence and oppression albeit
feigned as civilization. So alarming is the contemporary phenomenon
wherein our indigenous language is being termed "vernacular ". Even more
alarming is the rate at which it is unceremoniously being expunged from
the school curriculum. Frankly, calling our language a vernacular bears
not a tinge of civilization and wisdom, it appears to be the fastest
route to stupidity.
To have a vast knowledge of the colonial
master's language is quite impressive, but to possess such knowledge of
our indigenous language transcends impressive. No word is suitable
enough to describe it... It is more than awesome. While I completely
agree that the colonial master's language must be taught and well
understood, I am also of the view that it shouldn't be at the detriment
of our rich and fascinating language. A language that has the tendency
of evoking imaginations, light, and music in our memories. It contains a
wealth of wisdom.
For one thing, folks have been made to
succumb to the belief that fluency in the indigenous language will, in
some fashions impede that of the foreign language, this belief in the
proper sense of the term is millennium away from the truth.
Understanding the indigenous language will not in any way affect a
foreign language, and the chief strength that can foster the
comprehension of another language lies in the fact that the indigenous
language is well understood. How do you expect to erect an edifice when
there exists no foundation? How do you expect to understand perfectly
another language when you are lacking in your mother's tongue?
And
here is a great misconception which I have once bought: fluency in a
foreign language, namely the English Language alludes to a vast
intellectual capacity. Many are those whose command of the language is
mind-blowing but possess not a tinge of intellectualism. It is just as
if saying every English man can build rockets! The fluency can as well
mean vast intellectual capacity and at the same time might be underlined
by an enormous intellectual meagerness. It is two sides of a coin.
I
was brought up in an environment where only the medium of communication
was "Yoruba Language", and was always thrilled whenever I encounter
folks of my own age that could command the English Language perfectly,
albeit my performance in the classroom transcends their performances.
Then, I regarded myself as unintelligent and someone that is suffering
from lack of brilliance. It wasn't until later years that I crawled out
of the myth, this was afforded by my exposure to both languages. A very
intense exposure! Today, I'm a living testimony that standing firm in
your language with regards to its understanding and literature has
nothing whatsoever against the English Language. I also have many
acquaintances that exhibit such a trait.
In actual fact, the
old generation had done perfectly well to preserve the language, but
I'm afraid that the language approaches extinction today, given that the
attitude of contemporary generation toward the language remains
unchanged. The extinction will bring to its feet the otherwise dwindling
culture and heritage. The language is the very embodiment of our
culture and heritage, it preserves who we are.
It is
incumbent upon us all to revive our language, though it might be a very
difficult undertaking. But reviving our language demands that we speak
it every time, learn it very often, be confident about it and study its
literature. It demands that we show our disgust very clearly, very
politely, very calmly, but nevertheless very openly whenever it is being
called "vernacular". Reviving it demands that we speak it to our
children and they to their own. The thought that our language is
mediocre must be expunged from our lives.
Sani Mubaraq writes from Ilorin
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