African Decolonisation: Olorunyomi, others want languages of immediate environment adopted for teaching

Scholars have called for the adoption of languages of the immediate environment and the inculcation of indigenous systems into the education curriculum as part of a decolonisation process for Africans.

Sola Olorunyomi, a professor at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, spoke at the inaugural lecture of the Lawani Series on Decolonisation, organised by the Uyi and Rachel Lawani Foundation and the West African Transitional Justice Centre. The lecture was moderated by Eric Usifoh, a professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

“Colonisation is deeply rooted”

Speaking on the topic: “Talking Decolonisation Beyond Symbolism,” Mr Olorunyomi said indigenous systems and cultures are an integral part of people’s lives, noting that one of the steps in decolonisation is the acknowledgement of colonialism’s deeply-rooted impact on the people.

According to him, the effect of colonialism on the very fabric of African society is evident in the educational systems, culture, legal frameworks and economics.

“Colonialism’s impact is deeply rooted, and colonisation has influenced our educational systems, our legal frameworks, economics, and our cultural narratives,” he said.

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“Therefore, decolonisation is not confined to a single aspect of society; it is multi-faceted. It is that motivated endeavour that demands our unwavering commitment. There’s a sense in which we all know most or at least part of these problems.”

Decolonisation

Mr Olorunyomi, therefore, advocated the inclusion of diverse perspectives, voices and narratives from indigenous systems.

This, he said, would help to elevate marginalised histories and challenge Eurocentric curriculum.

He said: “In our journey towards decolonisation, it is essential that we move beyond symbolism and shallow gestures and instead focus on meaningful, substantive changes.”

Mr Olorunyomi said the trend of Africans refusing children the opportunity to learn indigenous languages is doing greater damage to society.

He said: “Many will not speak their languages to their children and when you ask them why, –indeed this is not substantiated by science– they will say it would confuse the children. They would then go on and sign up the child for another foreign but European language which is French or German. Now, while all of this may be self-satisfying to the parents, it does damage not just to the child but to the future of the nation.”

Beyond education, Mr Olorunyomi noted that decolonisation “must extend to our legal and governance structures and many laws and policies that were enacted during the colonial era.”

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He said the fact that a language is more global than another on account of historical reasons doesn’t mean that it should be abandoned.

“Your own will always be the most significant language in life forever…there was a period where it was Latin; before Latin, it was Greek, and before Greek, it was Arabic,” he said.

Also speaking, Eric Usifoh, a professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, called for the practical application of the theories shared by the lecturer.

He said: “What is the hallmark of the ideas? It should stimulate practical action. Even the most abstract intellectual philosophy would say that philosophy that does not bear relevance to social reality doesn’t ask some fundamental questions. So we have people seeing the need to bring philosophy to the human context. So usually, theory comes first, but outside theory, we need to build institutions whereby those theoretical postulations would be needed for practical actions.”

“Look at all the developed countries of the world; which developed nation uses another man’s language. I think that summarises my view,” he added.

About organisers

The Uyi and Rachel Lawani (URL) Foundation was formed in 2023 to promote self-awareness among African youths which in turn triggers a renaissance on the African continent. The foundation also focuses on youth mobilisation for social development through (re)orientation, education, and promotion of African human and material resourcefulness.

Meanwhile, the West African Transitional Justice Centre (WATJCentre) is a not-for-profit organisation established as a centre for research and programming on transitional justice within the West Africa corridor, with the aim to influence policy and learning on the African Continent and globally.

The organisation is designed to proffer technical solutions to governments in the region regarding the design and implementation of transitional justice mechanisms to influence good governance and sustainable development in the region.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe