By Olayinka Latona
LAGOS — The Federal Government has been urged to move beyond policy formulation and urgently implement a compulsory mother-tongue education policy across Nigerian schools to preserve the country’s cultural identity and promote national development.
The call was made by a newly inducted Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, Prof. Oladele Abiodun Balogun, during the Academy’s 28th Convocation, induction of new members and investiture of Regular and Honorary Fellows at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos, Akoka.
The event was held with the theme: “Mother-Tongue Education Policy: And the Paths to Nation-Building.”
Balogun said language went beyond communication, describing it as a vital tool for national integration, educational development and cultural continuity.
The philosophy professor, whose academic career began in 1991 and culminated in his appointment as a professor in 2010, criticised the persistent gap between policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria’s education sector.
“It is one thing to have policy, it is another thing for the policy to be implemented. The problem with Nigeria is not that we don’t have laws, we have laws, we have policy. I even believe that we have structures, but our problem is about the implementation. Let the policy be implemented,” he said.
Balogun, who is also Special Assistant to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, on Administration, said Nigeria must adopt a more deliberate approach to mother-tongue education if it hopes to build an inclusive, innovative and united society.
“If Nigeria is to become a truly inclusive, innovative, and united nation, it must move beyond rhetoric and implement a mother-tongue-based language policy with seriousness and consistency,” he said.
He warned that continued neglect of indigenous languages could lead to the erosion of Nigeria’s culture and values.
“If we don’t return to our mother tongue, our culture, our value will be lost. Everybody is complicit — the parents, the government, even scholars. There are some of us who cannot even speak very much our mother tongues,” he said.
The academic urged curriculum developers to stop using the term “vernacular” in referring to indigenous languages, describing it as stigmatising, and called for greater emphasis on the teaching of Nigerian languages in schools.
Educational experts have consistently advocated mother-tongue instruction, particularly in the early years of education, arguing that children often understand concepts more effectively when taught initially in their first language before transitioning to additional languages.
Nigeria, however, has continued to face challenges in implementing the approach despite provisions in the National Policy on Education recommending mother-tongue instruction during the early years.
Academy honours new Fellows
The ceremony also featured the investiture of 10 new Regular Fellows of the Academy, including an overseas Fellow.
Two distinguished personalities, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi, and Prof. Ephraim Lucas, were admitted as Honorary Fellows in recognition of their contributions to humanistic values.
Professor Emeritus Femi Osofisan was also honoured with the Distinguished Life Fellow award, an honour reserved for members of the Academy aged 80 and above who have demonstrated at least two decades of commitment to the institution.
The Academy further conferred its Award of Excellence in Humanistic Practice on renowned filmmaker, Mr. Tunde Kelani, for his contributions as a filmmaker, storyteller and media practitioner.
The citation praised Kelani for promoting Nigerian languages, culture and history through his creative works and described him as a distinguished professional whose artistic practice had contributed significantly to the humanities.
Balogun, a recipient of the Thabo Mbeki Leadership Award from the University of Texas in 2017, served as Vice-President of the Nigerian Philosophical Association from 2012 to 2016.
He has also held several leadership positions, including Head of Department and Dean of Faculty at Olabisi Onabanjo University, and played a key role in establishing and developing Philosophy programmes at Osun State University and Redeemer’s University, Ede.
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