African leaders urged to promote use of local languages

A legal luminary, Professor Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN, has called on African leaders to promote the use of local languages in academic activities.

Ali, who issued the advice while delivering a lecture at the Thomas Adewumi University Oko, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, said Nigerian education was greatly impacted by British colonial domination.

He spoke on “Decolonizing African Education to Empower the Next Generation,” saying, that rather than meeting the requirements of the native population, the British formal education system was designed to serve the interests of the colonial government.

The curriculum, he said, reflected the customs and ideals of the colonisers and was frequently Eurocentric, pointing out that, “Native languages were marginalised because English became the language of instruction.”

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He also advocated for brain decolonization as a way of advancing African education to empower the next generation.

The legal icon said the context of African education is essential to comprehend the immediate needs for its decolonization, which will address the systemic challenges it faces today.

“The tout of African education is marked by the influence of erstwhile colonial powers, leaving a heritage that advances Eurocentric biases and marginalizes the long-standing indigenous knowledge system that forms an integral part of Africa’s culture tapestry,” he said

He also recommended that Africa should implement curricula revision that reflects African viewpoints, aimed at empowering indigenous languages in education, and foster culturally relevant pedagogy.

The founder of the university, Engineer Thomas Adewunmi, commended the contribution of the lecturer, saying that he has set an enviable standard for future speakers in the distinguished lecture series.

The founder, who is the Asiwaju of Oko land, stated that most of the recommendations put forward would be put into practical use towards improving the educational system in the institution.

In her remarks, the vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Francisca Oladipo, appreciated the distinguished lecturer, saying that the event would help shore up the image and reputation of the institution among its contemporaries.