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“THE DEATH OF YORUBA LANGUAGE?”-BY YEYE AKILIMALI FUNUA OLADE

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(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE Editorial Page in THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER,2005)

“Mommy,Daddy,””Kilo happen? Ma worry! Kini nice day.” Surely this not YORUBA this Yoruba is speaking,but everyday the Yoruba are destroying the language like this!

THAT English, the ready-made weapon of British-American cultural imperialism, is not just trying to destroy African languages, but is attacking all other languages worldwide, I agree.

Ojoogbon Akinwunmi Isola, related to me during a discussion with Ojoogbon Babatunde Fafunwa, the problem the French are having with English.

He stated that the French government had recently warned all French broadcasters to stop polluting French with English, as is now popular in general French conversation, or face dismissal.

The greatest tragedy in Yorubaland today, however, regarding language is the dominating trend to speak only English to their children, making it their first language, then sending them to private nursery school, who only teach in English and causing Yoruba children to value English above all other languages!

(After all their WAEC will not be in Yoruba, one highly*educated Yoruba man told me!)

And see the result! These English-speaking children will rudely use English to disrespect all and sundry (after all English does not have pronouns of respect for anybody).

Ask them or some of their parents and they will tell you they don’t know the original Yoruba for the popular phrases that many literate and non-literate leaders and followers commonly use throughout Yorubaland.

As a Black-American, who has come back to her Yoruba roots these past 26 years in Nigeria, I want to break down in tears over this “iyonu”! How can Yorubas kill their own language?

What sort of curse is this?

Obviously the curse of european-american imperialism/colonialism/slavery! As a result I have declared “War Against Destroying Our Nigerian Languages” from today. And it must start from Yorubaland.

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Are not the Yorubas the “wisest and the greatest”?

As everything good seems to start from Yorubaland in Nigeria, “let it be so”. Full-blooded Yoruba, as of today should consciously seek not to mix English with their Yoruba.

Yoruba leaders must slowly speak, watching their tongues, not to include any English word inside their Yoruba.

It has gotten to a state where such leaders cannot avoid mixing English as they speak Yoruba and their every sentence includes whole English phrases! The late Yoruba leader, Oloye Bola Ige was a pure Yoruba language speaker and other Yoruba leaders should follow his example.

All clubs and organisations in Yorubaland should hold bi-annual and annual Yoruba Speaking Competitions for the “Best Yoruba Speaker”, with heavy monetary prizes (N20,000 plus) to get Yorubas to consciously practice speaking Yoruba without any English mixture.

Yoruba broadcasters are guilty of promoting this deadly trend. In schools, Yoruba teachers must stress the importance of not mixing Yoruba.

All private schools in Yorubaland must be required to have classes in Yoruba language from nursery through secondary school levels. And any student who fails to pass Yoruba in Yorubaland must not be allowed to graduate!

The Yoruba press must be commended for indeed holding the banner high and not polluting Yoruba with English.

More effort, however, must be made to eliminate “pasito”, “professor”, “dokita” words as most of them have genuine Yoruba words that can be enlisted and popularised among their readers.

Yoruba departments in Nigerian and foreign universities must start churning out more research on modernising Yoruba for technical, scientific and other vocabulary and making it available through special courses for the media and the general Yoruba public.

Yoruba writers must begin to write and publish bilingual publications. For any publication they publish in English, its Yoruba equivalent must be done.

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In the same book (Yoruba-from the front, turn upside down, English from the back) is one way to do it or in a title simultaneously released.

More books, magazines, other publications like club histories, year books must be published in Yoruba.

Yoruba music too, has been assaulted by Yoruba artists, unknowingly killing Yoruba language. The mixture of English has reached a new high in Fuji.

Yoruba gospel has started mixing English inside Yoruba songs within Yoruba cassettes, adding along side complete English songs! Olodumare!

Such artists must be warned—no more killing of the language in this manner.

If it is English you want then put that on an English cassette.

Do not replace our God-given Yoruba in a Yoruba music cassette!

Yoruba movie practitioners are perhaps the biggest offenders and must take up this challenge to save Yoruba language.

English mixing should absolutely be banned in all Yoruba films.

I have not researched the topic but I suspect that Hausa, is probably the most unpolluted language in Nigeria, and in all their films that I have seen any English there at all.

The beauty of the Yoruba language must be showcased by having more Yoruba Cultural Festivals to be held by all clubs and organisations in Yorubaland annually.

Odua’s People Congress and other enforcers of law and order in Yorubaland must be in the vanguard, not only by stressing among its members that Yoruba should not be polluted but by holding bi-Annual Yoruba Speaking competitions for the “Best Yoruba Speaker”.

They must lead the way in correct Yoruba speaking and have literacy classes for all their members to learn to read in Yoruba and encourag them to speak Yoruba in the home to their children: Yoruba must become again the first language of Yorubas at home and abroad.

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A private Yoruba school system must be set up. These schools will teach all subjects in Yoruba from nursery up to the university eventually. If it must be like a “mushroom school”, starting with nursery school first and adding class by class this must be done. This Yoruba Academy can be supported extensively by Yorubas abroad, eventually having board houses were Yoruba children from abroad can join their counterparts here, (including all “classes of children, street children etc.) This Yoruba Academy will inculcate Yoruba culture into our children also. With the help of our Yoruba scholars we can build on Ojoogbon Babatunde Fafunwa’s successful “Mother-tongue Education” at University of Ife in the 60s. Afterall, even UNESCO has proven that Mother-tongue Education is the best for all children.

Let Yoruba Language not die! God has given the Yoruba race a language to be proud of, anywhere in the world (there are at least 60 million or more Yoruba speakers throughout the world). Let’s not destroy it with our own mouths!

Let us pass it on in its richness to our children, daily in our home. Let us proudly speak it daily, read it daily, champion it daily. Yorubas cannot remain great without our language.

And let us be in the vanguard of saving all Nigerian and African languages. Biu, Ogoni, Urhorbo, Igele, Ogoja, Ebira, Idoma, Efik, Tiv, Langale: Tangale, Kagona, Kutep, Oron, Legdo, Bubiaro, Esan, Afima, lsekiri, Ijaw, Edo, Ikenne, Joba, Gwari, lbo, Igala, Hausa, speakers are you listening?

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Fans mourn late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo

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Fans and followers of late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo across social media platforms have expressed sadness over his demise, describing the incident as shocking and heartbreaking.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning since Tuesday when news of the actor’s passing surfaced online.

Social media posts by his close colleagues, and trending media reports, stated that he died after a prolonged battle with cancer.

The incident has continued to generate frenzy on social media platforms, with fans across Nigeria and beyond pouring in condolence messages and tributes to the late thespian.

A fan, @Mr. Rekindled of AFC, asked: “Is this some late April Fool joke. God, what kind of news is this? Rest in peace bro I don’t even know what to type”.

@perpetua Ebubech wrote: “Rest well Alex I am done pressurising myself and being ungrateful. Being alive is enough. Aaaaaah Alex”.

@Amed Oshiorenua commented: “This one hurts me ooo”.

@sheismirah_bakr noted that: “Indeed, every soul shall taste death. May we leave behind kindness, love, and good memories May we be celebrated while we are alive, not only mourned when we are gone”.

@oheneba_nanayere_joyce wrote: “Ooo my God, have mercy on us”.

@SAMPSOLO on X wrote: “Omoh, sometimes when I hear such news I just sit down and think about life.

“Everything we’re struggling for can just end in one moment. It’s really scary”.

@nyarkowai23 said: “Aww fine boy. May his soul rest in peace”.

@_emefaaa wrote: “This is really sad, may his soul rest in peace”.

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@ceeyahs_xclusivcollection commented: “Social media makes a lot of us look like we are living happily when we are actually fighting our battles. Remember we are all passing through something. Stay humble, stay kind”.

@DOG3tt said: “What’s wrong with Nollywood, why is everyone dying young?”

@bbelleamieeee wrote: “I loved him in Keeping My Man with Ramsey and Ini. Sad news… rest easy Alex”.

Ekubo’s passing has also attracted tributes from his colleagues and other celebrities, with many describing him as a talented actor and a kind-hearted friend.

Veteran actor Richard Mofe-Damijo wrote: “Life is not only fickle, it can also feel unreal. Even as I type this, I still struggle to fully process it, and it deeply saddens me to hear this news.

“Rest in peace to a truly great soul. You came, you saw, and you conquered. We are proud of the life you lived, the journey you embraced, and the legacy you leave behind.

“Sleep well, our dear Alex.”

Actor Bolanle Ninalowo also wrote: “Rest on, Alex. May God heal your family and us all.”

Singer Peter Okoye simply posted: “RIP”.

Actor Chinedu Ikedieze wrote: “Jesus, how?”

In a post on his X page, human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore described the late actor as a “rare talent”.

“My profound condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Nollywood star Alexx Ekubo, who I understand passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer.

“I never met him personally, but I still cannot forget a movie of his I watched on an Emirates flight from New York to Dubai en route to Nairobi.

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“He was a rare talent whose presence lit up the screen effortlessly. May he rest in power.”

NAN reports that Alex Ekubo, born on April 10, 1986, was widely regarded as one of Nollywood’s most versatile actors, known for his performances in several hit films and television productions.

However, his prolonged absence from the public had raised concerns among fans and colleagues, as he stayed away from social media and public events for a long time.

His last post on Instagram was made in December 2024, shortly after reports emerged that his engagement to US-based model Fancy Acholonu had been called off.

(NAN)

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Why I assaulted my daughter, Ilebaye – Father

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Father of former Big Brother Naija All Stars winner, Ilebaye Odiniya, Emmanuel Odiniya, has broken his silence over the viral altercation involving his daughter, claiming he was provoked before allegedly assaulting her during a family confrontation.

In a voice note purportedly from Odiniya, and shared on Facebook on Sunday by Kogi-based journalist, Jeremiah Promise Enemona Ocheme, now circulating online, the father said the incident was not driven by hatred for his daughter but by frustration over what he described as her changed behaviour after winning the reality TV show.

“I want to put the records straight that what led to that incident was not that I don’t love my daughter. She is one of my best children,” he said.

He claimed he made sacrifices and mobilised support for her emergence as the winner of the BBNaija All Stars edition.

“During her time in the Big Brother Naija house, I contributed a lot. I stood by my daughter and made sure people voted for her massively. I used my influence and connections, including governors and other people, to support her until she won,” he stated.

According to him, their relationship allegedly deteriorated after her victory, accusing the reality star of becoming disrespectful and physically aggressive towards him.

“After she came out and won, she changed. Ilebaye stopped listening to me. I would book her appointments five to six times in a week and she wouldn’t give me audience. She stopped regarding me as her father,” he alleged.

The father further criticised her lifestyle, particularly her alleged cosmetic procedures.

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“I warned her against getting cosmetic surgery — face reconstruction with fillers and BBL. She’s too young for that,” he said.

Emmanuel also alleged that his daughter had physically attacked him on previous occasions.

“She has hit me twice, and I didn’t do anything to her. One day she took an AC hanger and hit me with it till blood started gushing out of my body,” he claimed.

Speaking on the latest confrontation, he alleged that the reality TV star assaulted him first before the situation escalated.

“In this recent incident, she insulted me, hit me first with a sea hanger, causing bleeding, pushed me, and then broke an electric lantern on my head,” he said.

He also accused her of neglecting him financially despite his health challenges.

“I am very sick and needed to go for medical treatment in Dubai. I called Ilebaye to help me with some money and promised to refund her. She said she didn’t have money. But I saw her video spraying bundles of naira at a colleague’s wedding,” he alleged.

The father further alleged that his daughter negatively influenced her younger brother and interfered in his marriage.

“She has also influenced her younger brother with drugs, and he was expelled from school because of it. She once advised me to divorce her mother,” he added.

Despite the accusations, Emmanuel maintained that he still loved his daughter and wanted reconciliation.

“I still love my daughter deeply. I want her to change and do better. I ask for prayers from Nigerians. The police have already intervened and settled the matter,” he said.

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PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Ilebaye, alongside members of her family, including her father and younger brothers, were hospitalised following the confrontation at their Abuja residence.

The incident became public after the reality TV star shared an emotional livestream video crying for help, sparking concern among fans and followers online.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, disclosed that all parties involved sustained injuries and were receiving medical treatment.

“The man is in the hospital; he is sick. All of them were badly injured and are all in the hospital,” Adeh had said.

She also stated that the siblings were under police protective custody while investigations continued into the matter.

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Kwara concludes airlift of pilgrims for 2026 Hajj

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The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has concluded the airlift of intending pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj exercise with the departure of the last batch of 223 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The pilgrims departed aboard Max Air from the Babatunde Idi-Agbon International Airport, Ilorin, at about 6:05 am on Saturday.

The development was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Press Secretary of the Board, Sodiq Abdulmumin Folarin.

Speaking before the departure, the Chairman of the Board, Prof. Mashood-Mahmud Jimba, thanked Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for supporting the successful transportation of the pilgrims.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, advised the pilgrims “to be good ambassadors of the state and country at large while in Saudi Arabia.”

Also speaking, the Amirul-Hajj and Etsu Tsaragi, Aliyu Abdullahi Kpotwa, urged the pilgrims to pray for peace and unity in the country and the state.

The final batch was accompanied by Jimba, Abdulkadir, Kpotwa and other state officials.

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