Campus News

Arokoyo tasks stakeholders on protection of indigenous languages

By Abubakar Imam

The Head of the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Ilorin, Prof. Bolanle Elizabeth Arokoyo, has enjoined stakeholders to work towards strengthening indigenous languages in order to protect them from extinction.

            Prof. Arokoyo gave this advice last Thursday (May 22, 2025) while delivering the 282nd Inaugural Lecture of the University, titled “From the Mouths of Babes to the Wisdom of Elders: A Voyage of Language Exploration”, at the University Auditorium.

            The Inaugural Lecturer, who is also a member of the Management Board of UNILORIN 89.3 FM, said that the advice is particularly important to preserve minority languages that are facing overwhelming threats from different angles.

            Prof. Arokoyo said that it was high time governments, educational institutions, and language communities integrated indigenous and minority languages into formal and informal education systems to ensure their continued use and survival.

            She explained that the implementation of her suggestion would support natural language acquisition and foster early literacy development in the child’s dominant language(s).

            Prof. Arokoyo, who received all her academic qualifications from the University of Ilorin, also called for the continuous expansion of language documentation and research.

            She explained that universities, research institutions, government agencies, and international organisations should prioritise the documentation of endangered languages to preserve their grammatical structures, vocabulary, and cultural narratives, saying that this would be helped through making more funds available for the purpose.

            Prof. Arokoyo also canvassed the promotion of language revitalisation through the exploration of technology and media.

            She noted that governments, technology companies, and cultural organisations should leverage digital tools and media to revitalise and promote endangered languages to prevent them against the threat of extinction.

            Prof. Arokoyo also appealed to governments and policymakers to recognise the linguistic rights of indigenous language speakers and enforce policies that would protect and promote language diversity.

            The Inaugural Lecturer equally appealed to stakeholders to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration in linguistic research, saying that that would synchronise with unfolding expectations.

            She said that linguists must also collaborate with professionals in technology, anthropology, education, and policy-making to enhance the effectiveness of language preservation and revitalisation efforts.

            Prof. Arokoyo equally encouraged universities and other training institutions to incorporate business, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship courses into linguistics programmes to equip emerging linguists with the skills needed to start language-based businesses such as translation, language teaching, consulting, and AI development.

            The don equally said that time was ripe for linguistics students to be exposed to industry experience through their participation in the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), saying that the programme should also be extended to students of linguistics.

            She also appealed to governments, institutions of learning, and organisations to ensure that the staff, facilities and equipment, library, and office space needed to train upcoming linguists are provided and periodically updated.

            Drawing from personal experience, Prof. Arokoyo appealed to parents, guardians, teachers and other stakeholders not to lose hope in their children who might be struggling in their academic works.

            She said that those learners neither deserve condemnation nor abandonment but encouragement and counseling for them to discover themselves.

            Prof. Arokoyo, whose masterful delivery drew repeated ovations from members of the audience, commended her teachers at all levels of her education for contributing their various quotas to making her what she has become.

            The renowned linguist appealed to all those who are working in the nation’s educational industry to deploy their talents to building others who would continue with their legacies.

            Prof. Arokoyo specifically paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers of her Department for their monumental contributions to national development through knowledge-sharing with others, recalling that the first-ever Inaugural Lecture of the University was delivered by the founding Head of the Department of Linguistics, Prof. Oladele Awobuluyi, on February 15, 1979.

            The Inaugural Lecture, which was presided-over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Adegboyega Adisa Fawole, was attended by colleagues, friends, relations and students of Prof. Arokoyo from far and near. ‎