Yoruba language depends on 'isese' religion for survival

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The Isese (traditional) religion and Ifa (Oracle), have been described as pivots upon which the Yoruba language revolves.

The President of the International Council for Ifa Religion, (ICIR), Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode, made this assertion on Saturday while delivering a lecture titled: “Yoruba Language and Culture, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” at the Palace of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, during the 2024 Annual Cultural Festival organised by Egbe Akomolede ati Asa Yoruba, Nigeria, Ekun Ife (Association of Teachers of Yoruba Language and Culture, Nigeria, Ife Zone).

The traditionalist called on the governors of Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, and Lagos States to immediately commence process of changing the language of all textbooks used in primary and secondary schools to Yoruba, to enhance good performance and aid the value of the language among speakers.

Fakayode hinted that the time has come for people to stop calling Yoruba language vernacular and make communication with the language a must at home, work, and schools, as research has shown that students taught any subject with their mother tongue perform better than the one taught with foreign language.

He further stressed that the Yoruba language, having secured a vantage position among global languages because of the acceptance of Ifa Religion across the world, will continue to grow and with time, supersede other languages.

“It is high time we decolonised ourselves by stopping seeing our Language as vernacular and start communicating with our children in Yoruba, our mother tongue. According to research, there is no doubt that students taught any subject with mother tongue perform better than students taught with foreign language.

“The issue of Yoruba Language and Religion can be compared to a Computer whose hardware cannot function without the software. In the case of Yoruba culture, Language and other components are hardware while Yoruba Religion is the software on which other components rely.

“Today, Yoruba Language is an International Language because, all the people who practice Yoruba Religion irrespective of color or race need to be versed in Ifa, the scripture which can only be rendered in Yoruba Language. As Arabic is the language of the holy Quran so is Yoruba the language of Ifá.

“Therefore, as the spread of Islam throughout the world makes Arabic international so is Yoruba Religion makes Yoruba Language international. This is because, once one accepts a religion, one automatically accepts the culture of the source of the religion.

“It is pertinent for all Yorùbá to learn Ifa for it is the storehouse of Yoruba culture and tradition.

“I use this medium to call on all lovers of Yoruba Language to join hands in promoting Ìsẹ̀ṣe, the Yoruba Traditional Religion if truly they do not want Yorùbá language to go into extinction

“The future of Yoruba Language and Culture is promising because it is witnessing renaissance. Yoruba religion is said to be in the sixth position among the religions of the world today. It is certain that as Yoruba Religion continues to grow, so will the language and culture continue.

“The time has come for the five South-West governors to start an immediate process of changing the language of textbooks use to teach subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and the rest to aid the relevance of the language and most importantly, improve the academic performance of our students,” Fakayode stated.

In her opening speech, the Ife Branch Zone chairman of Egbe Akomolede ati Asa Yoruba, Erelu Olubunmi Ajayi said the cultural day gives secondary and primary school students opportunity to show and develop their talents as well as promote culture and tradition of the Yoruba.

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