Ekiti govt bans use of English at cultural and traditional events

The Ekiti State government has promised to promote arts and culture and reintroduce communication in Yoruba language and Ekiti dialect for the youths in schools and at events.

This, the government posited, would enable the youths speak their local language and dialect better.

The state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has also banned speaking of the English language at cultural and traditional functions by state officials and other participants.

Gov Fayemi made the government’s position on this issue known yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at the 1st Ekiti State Arts and Culture Stakeholders’ Forum.

“We should not forget to teach our children those values that will make Ekiti remember their heritage and sustain our culture as a people,” he said.

The governor, who was represented by the Head of Service, Mr Deji Ajayi, said the state would hold its Festival of Arts and Culture in December, as part of the ways to boost its economy.

According to him, there are empirical statistics and evidence to prove that there is need for the state to enhance the skills and capacities of the youths, as government alone cannot solve the issue of endemic unemployment in the system.

Fayemi disclosed at the event that his administration would soon employ 1,100 teachers, for which over 19,000 persons had already applied on the government’s website.

The governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, charged scholars in History and Theatre Arts to document Ekiti heritage and preserve it for future references.

The Director-General of the Ekiti State Arts and Culture, Mr Wale Ojo Lanre, seized the opportunity to call for support for the ailing Ekiti indigene theatre artiste, Chief Ojo Arowosafe, popular known as Fadeyi Oloro, and some others afflicted by illnesses.

“The governor has directed us to relocate Chief Arowosafe to Ekiti for him to get better medical treatment and for reunion with his family,” Lanre said.