Author: oduduwanews

……..Calls on Southwest Governors To Publish School Textbooks in Yoruba Language

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 over the weekend 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 organized 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, in order 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 researches have shown that students taught any subject with 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 stop 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 be functioning without the software. In the case of Yoruba culture, Language and other components are hardwares 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 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.

The Chairman of Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Akin Fagbemi, has appealed to the striking nurses in the state to call off their strike, citing the magnanimity of Governor Oluseyi Makinde in addressing workers’ issues.

Dr. Fagbemi made the appeal during an interview in his office at the state secretariat, Agodi Ibadan.

“The demands of the striking nurses are purely administrative, which is within the power of the state government to address. His Excellency has given directives regarding their demands”

The key areas of contention include recruitment, which the government addressed in 2020 by recruiting health workers and issuing directives to replace vacancies within the board.

The chairman noted that the advertisement for recruitment has been publicly available to recruit competent hands in various categories, including doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and physiotherapists.

Dr. Fagbemi revealed that he has been in talks with the chairman of the nurses and midwives union, and they have seen positive steps taken by the state government. 

He urged the striking nurses to reconsider calling off the strike, citing the efforts of other health workers who have been working round the clock to fill the gap created by the strike.

“I appeal to the striking nurses to call off the strike in the interest of the entire populace of the state. The executive governor of the state, Engr Oluseyi Makinde, has been very magnanimous in responding to all government workers’ issues in the state, including the nurses, he said

The chairman praised the commissioner for health, permanent secretaries of the ministry and board, the HOS, and the SA to the governor on Labour Matters for their efforts to end the strike. 

He emphasized that recruitment is a continuous process and that the board will address gaps in the hospitals before the end of the year.

The leader in the Lagos Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ramota Bankole, has been pronounced dead after performing her Hajj rites in Saudi Arabia.

Bankole, who was Lagos APC former Welfare Secretary, was said to be among the pilgrims that dropped dead following excessive heat recorded in the holy land.

The former politician death was confirmed on Thursday by the council chairmen of Epe Local Governments, Eredo and Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area (LCDA), amid ongoing search by friends and family members for missing hajj pilgrims in Saudi after death toll at the annual rituals, which were carried out in scorching heat, surged past 900.

They described the demise of the Lagos APC for Executive member, who celebrated her 60th birthday last month, as a rude shock to them, considering her role within the party.

Leading the trio, the Chairman Epe Local Government, Surah Animashaun, in her statement, added that the deceased was hale and hearty before leaving the country for pilgrimage.

According to the statement, “It’s with a heavy heart, and a deep sense of grief that I received the news of the death of Alhaja Ramota Bankole.

“It is a sad day indeed as I received the news that she died in the holy land of Mecca while on holy pilgrim.

“I extend my condolences to the Bankole family, Apc member and entire people of Epe on the unfortunate demise of our dear Sister and Mummy”.

A pregnant woman simply identified as Mrs Ogunbunmi has been abducted in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The victim said to be due for delivery had.

A pregnant woman simply identified as Mrs Ogunbunmi has been abducted in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The victim said to be due for delivery had left her home in Oke Lantoro for the state general hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, but was kidnapped along the way.

Her husband, Ogunbunmi Lateef, said he received a WhatsApp message notifying him of his wife’s abduction.

The Police Spokesman, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident but did not go into details.

,In a terse statement, on Thursday, she said, “ One Ogunbunmi Lateef of Oke Lantoro reported that his pregnant wife due for delivery left home for State Hospital Ijaiye Abeokuta.

“He received a WhatsApp message confirming the abduction of his wife by unknown armed men.”

Ogun is one of the state battling a high level of criminality in the South West region.

Ogun: Pregnant Woman Due For Delivery Abducted On Way To Hospital

A pregnant woman simply identified as Mrs Ogunbunmi has been abducted in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The victim said to be due for delivery had…

A pregnant woman simply identified as Mrs Ogunbunmi has been abducted in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The victim said to be due for delivery had left her home in Oke Lantoro for the state general hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, but was kidnapped along the way.

Her husband, Ogunbunmi Lateef, said he received a WhatsApp message notifying him of his wife’s abduction.

The Police Spokesman, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident but did not go into details.

,In a terse statement, on Thursday, she said, “ One Ogunbunmi Lateef of Oke Lantoro reported that his pregnant wife due for delivery left home for State Hospital Ijaiye Abeokuta.

“He received a WhatsApp message confirming the abduction of his wife by unknown armed men.”

Ogun is one of the state battling a high level of criminality in the South West region.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said that his administration was poised at making the Ojude Oba festival a global event.

The governor who stated this on Tuesday at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival held at the Ojude Oba Pavilion in Ijebu-Ode, said the annual event has grown from a mere gathering of Ijebu people to felicitate the Awujale to an event that attract both national and global audience.

According to the governor, the festival, which has become a tourist attraction, symbolizes and reflects the collective unity of the people known for hard work, perseverance, and industry.

He said: “Ojude Oba festival is not only a cultural heritage for the indigenes of Ijebuland but has now become a significant event that attracts local and foreign tourists to Ogun State, showcasing our hospitality and enviable tradition of Ijebuland to the national and global audience.

“This festival serves as a symbol of our unity, tourism and a rallying point to all the Ijebu sons and daughters to celebrate the life and times of our tradition, culture, and revered monarch.

“It has become a catalyst for development of Ijebuland, and this undoubtedly underscores the importance of preserving our traditions for future generations.

“By standing for unity and harmony, we elevate our community and set an example for others to follow. The essence of unity and harmony in Ijebuland can be seen willingly in cultural events like this festival.

“Our administration is deeply committed to supporting the initiative to make it a permanent event in the global tourism industry,” he said.

The event, Prince Abiodun observed, creates opportunities for an advancement which has brought about the socio-economic development not only to the axis but the state as a whole.

While thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for showing interest in expanding the festival, especially with plans to include it in the UNESCO’s world cultural heritage, the Governor said his administration was committed to providing the conducive environment for business to thrive.

He said the festival provides an opportunity for the Ijebu people to take stock and project the future. He called for unity and harmony from people across the state, adding that it was time to work together to build a virile state.

“The state government will continue to create a conducive atmosphere for community development across the state and I solicit the support of the people, especially all the sons and daughters towards the 20th National Sports Festival, Gateway Games, 2024, part of which will be hosted right here in Ijebu-Ode,” the governor concluded.

Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Hannatu Musa-Musawa, who was represented by Rev. Ben Ugo, Director of Cultural Industry and Heritage, said her ministry was working towards promoting and preserving cultural heritage of President Tinubu’s administration with the creation of economic expansion to the tune of $100bn.

He acknowledged the cultural diversity of Nigerians, noting that the federal government is working towards making the country a cultural hub by the year 2030.

Chairman of the 2024 Ojude Oba festival, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, appreciated the governor for his support for the festival and the people for turning up enmass to grace the occasion.