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Covenant Journal of Language Studies (CJLS)Vol. 1, No. 2, December, 2013.

The and in the 21st Century and Beyond

Azeez Akinwumi Sesan Al-Hikmah University, ,

Abstract: The pervasive poor reading culture, the phenomenon of indigenous language endangerment and the dominance of new media of modern telecommunication have had condemnable impact on the survival and continuity of Yoruba language and literature. Despite the significance of language and literature in cultural expression, the value attached to Yoruba Literature is waning in our contemporary society. This paper therefore poses the question: is there hope for Yoruba Literature in the 21st century and beyond? There is no homogeneous answer to the question owing to some variables such as language attitude to Yoruba; linguistic alienation of some children for not using Yoruba Language by some homes and the negative attitude of Yoruba natives to the use of the language in eco-linguistic spheres. The paper observes that there is “literary endangerment” of Yoruba Language and literary texts written in the language because of the incompetence of the contemporary Yoruba children and youth to speak and write in mutually intelligible Yoruba linguistic codes. This paper therefore posits that Yoruba language and literature should be a compulsory prerequisite for any further study and other opportunities, particularly for candidate from Yoruba extraction.

Keywords: Oral literature; Yoruba language and literature; language endangerment; phonocentric tradition; logocentric tradition.

1. Introduction Olatunji, 1993, 1975; Bamgbose, This paper explores the historical 2007; Irele, 1975, among others). development of literature written in The quality and quantity of these Yoruba Language; the sociology of studies on Yoruba Language Yoruba literature written in Yoruba literature are pointers to the fact that language from the earliest period to the Yoruba had rich literary culture, the present, and the status of Yoruba particularly in the genres of poetry literature viz-a-viz the English and prose, with few instances of literature in contemporary, drama before the colonial incursion cosmopolitan, modernist-oriented and the "imposition” of English as society. Thus, the paper does not the language of literary expressions.

engage in the thematic studies and From the reading and inferences analysis of Yoruba Language literary made from the previous researches texts, except when and where it is on the subject matter, the historical unavoidably necessary. development of Yoruba Language This paper is not unaware of the literature can be traced to the factors harvest of existing studies on of missionary activities, literature written in Yoruba language complimented with the development in journals, books and dissertations of Yoruba orthography; the growth (Ogunsina, 1976, 1978, 1980; Isola, and development of Yoruba 1977, 1978; Barber, 1979, 2008; Language newspaper industry and

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the need of some sections of the populace. Ilosiwaju Ero Mimo was population for means of published in 1911when the entertainment. missionaries were certain that the The very beginning of books written Yoruba audience have attained some in Yoruba Language can be traced to level of proficiency in reading. the publication of Bibeli Mimo in The “real” literary activities in 1900. In the opinion of this paper, Yoruba Language began with the publication of Bibeli Mimo, as Adetimkan Obasa’s (1927) Iwe Kinni translated from English, was not Ti Awon Akewi. Using his status as done with the genuine interest of an editor of a weekly newspaper promoting the use of Yoruba Yoruba News, Obasa was able to win Language among the speakers. The the patronage of Yoruba audience translation and the eventual that were looking for secular texts publication of Bibeli Mimo was done written in Yoruba Language. Iwe for religious purpose; it was Kinni Ti Awon Akewi (1927) was produced to win more converts and followed by Iwe Keji Ti Awon Akewi to enhance the indoctrination of the (1934) and Iwe Keta Ti Awon Akewi already-converted Yoruba populace (1945). These collections of poems into the folds of Christianity. The were focused on how to uphold missionaries still realised that moral virtuosity among the Yoruba majority of Nigerians from Yoruba elites and populace. extraction could still not read fluently text (Bibeli Mimo) written in Kolawole Ajisafe, a native of Yoruba language. Consequently, in State also had they embarked upon the publication fruitful literary engagements in the of series of Yoruba Readers: Iwe 1920s and 1930s, particularly in the Kika Yoruba Ekini (1909); Ekeji genre of poetry and prose. His (1910); Eketa (1911), Ekerin (1912) important literary works include and Ekarun (1915). These Yoruba poetry: Aiye Akamara (1921) and Readers series were meant to Gbadebo Alake (1934); and a prose improve the proficiency of the work, Enia Soro (1935). Yoruba in reading. In our opinion, The Yoruba literary tradition this was also done in order to experienced the publication of the improve the Christian religious faith first novelette, Igbeyin a of the Yoruba, particularly through Dun/OmoOrukan (1931) by E.A. the reading of the Yoruba version of Akintan. D.O. Fagunwa only came the Holy Bible (Bibeli Mimo). The to the literary scene in 1938 with the literary, social and essence of these publication of Ogboju Ode Ninu publications is to ensure the Igbo Irunmale. Fagunwa’s second entrenchment of Christian morality novel, Igbo Olodumareand third in the minds of the Yoruba elites and novel IrekeOnibudowere published in 1949. His fourth novel, 149 Covenant Journal of Language Studies (CJLS)Vol. 1, No. 2, December, 2013.

Irinkerindo (1954) was published 2. Yoruba Literature: while the fifth and last novel, Aditu The Phonocentric Tradition was published in 1961. The foundation of Yoruba literature The chronological presentation of in particular, and African Literature Yoruba written literature is not fixed in general, was laid on the oral because of some contention that tradition and verbal art of a people. imaginative literature in Yoruba Yoruba was rich in oral performance language began in 1929 with the and narratives before the literary publication of I. B. Thomas' Itan Emi literacy in writing and reading. Every Segilola Elegberun Oko Laye. discourse on Yoruba literature and Considering the history of Yoruba by extension African literature written literature, this paper does not should give consideration to the totally support the opinion of significance of oral/verbal art. Bamgbose (2007:1) that: Phonocentrism is an intricate quality Fagunwa can rightly be of (oral poetry and folk described as a pioneer in the narratives) of the pristine orality. field of creative writing in Phonocentrism is premised on “the Yoruba. Before him no other belief that speech is privileged over writer has had the same writing” (Dobie, 2009:169). The impact on the Yoruba literary success of Yoruba oral literature scene, nor the same influence (poetry and prose) relied upon how on subsequent writers. The words are used during performance.

appearance of his first novel, The practitioners of Yoruba literature Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo of primary orality were individual Irunmale marks an important adults who were schooled by age and stage in the development of experience. Their creative ingenuity Yoruba written literature. was always demonstrated through Considering the lucidity, elegance the blend of native intelligence and and vibrancy of his themes and linguistic virtuosity during subject matters, Fagunwa is performance. These practitioners acknowledged as a literary writer utilised the resources of indigenous with creative ingenuity. This does language intricacies such as not qualify him as the pioneer of the proverbs, idioms and innuendoes to Yoruba written literature. Literary impress their message on the minds writers in Yoruba Language and of of the audience. Despite that Yoruba literary substance have come before literature of the phonocentric Fagunwa. Among these writers are tradition was not written, the J.S. Sowande (a.k.a. Sobo practitioners were always able to Arobiodu); E.A. Akintan; Kolawole impart their message, engaged and Ajisafe and Adetimikan Obasa. sustained the attention of their willing audience because words were

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used in their actual habitat (with aesthetics of the oral literary texts. preponderance of kinesics and Yoruba folktales in the primary proxemics) for mutual interactions orality have the near equivalence of between them and their audience. the contemporary written Yoruba

Ong (1982:47) has clearly identified literature. For successful the significance of words used in performance of Yoruba folktales, the their actual habitat for semantic performer manipulates his/her body, relationship between the voice and the performance space. practitioners and their audience. The This position is in line with Sesan’s (2012:8) submission that: critic writes:

Words acquire their Apart from the utilization meanings only from their and manipulation of the body always insistent actual and voice of the performer, habitat, which is not, as in a there is also a need for the dictionary simply other significant manipulation of words, but includes also the performance space. In the gestures, vocal reflections, traditional Yoruba society, facial expression, and the the performance space of entire human existential Yoruba folktales is setting in which the real, triangular, corresponding and spoken word always occurs. interactional between the audience and the performer. The observation of Ong suggests that words were used in oral literature for The position of Sesan, as given the realisation of their linguistic and above, shows the centrality of literary potentials. The practitioners performance space, the performer of Yoruba oral literature usually and the audience in the analysis and relied on the facilities of their voice discussion of the aesthetics of and body. It is therefore right to say Yoruba Oral Performance (YOP) of phonocentric tradition. that Yoruba literature of phonocentric period was Yoruba literature of pristine orality participatory and collaborative was performance oriented, and for between the performers and their this reason, it is communal and audience. devoid of definite authorship. The

The success of Yoruba literature of contents of Yoruba oral literature are the phonocentric tradition goes communal and the performers only beyond the literary and symbolic use serve as the medium of the message. of words. Performance space with A performer of Yoruba oral literature congruity of interactive setting also only acts on the “authority” and plays significant role in the recognition of the audience (cf. realisation of the ethics and Sekoni, 1990). The unwritteness of 151 Covenant Journal of Language Studies (CJLS)Vol. 1, No. 2, December, 2013.

Yoruba oral literature of Studies are acknowledged in this phonocentric tradition does not instance. These departments and the disqualify it from being called institute embarked upon purpose- Literature. Like written literature, driven researches on how to improve oral literature thrives on creativity, upon the literariness of the Yoruba innovation and literary imagination language literary texts. With the of individual self or collective selves activities of these departments and in a community. the institute, it is possible for writers

3. Yoruba Literature: The of literature in Yoruba language to Logocentric Tradition adapt Latin or Greek literature. Missionary activities in the Babalola (1971:54) has hinterland of and the acknowledged the contribution of development of Yoruba Language Olanipekun Esan in this instance when he writes: written orthography served as the catalysts for the logocentric tradition Olanipekun Esan, a classic of Yoruba Literature. For clarity, scholar of the University of logocentric tradition is used here to , has contributed to make reference to written discourse modern Yoruba literature. or literary texts. Three books of note, all of

The missionaries that came to the them being reproductions of hinterland of Yoruba land saw Latin or Greek literary written texts, particularly scriptural works, not word-for-word texts as one of the machineries for translations but recasts in evangelisation. This action did not Yoruba mould, with Yoruba justify the view that literature came names for the characters and with white missionaries and the places. The books were colonialists. We rather corroborate all published in 1965: Esin the view of Nwankwo (1990:315) Atiroja (written in verse and that “writing is only a symbolic way embodying theTrojan Horse of representing speech and as such is story in Virgil’s Aeneid) secondary to it.” Teledalase (written in verse and based on Sophocle's The establishment of the University Oedipus)and Orekelewa (a College, Ibadan (1948) but later play in prose reproducing known as the University of Ibadan Plautus' Mercator). led to refinement of the art of Yoruba-language literature writer. Olanipekun Esan’s literary works The activities of the Department of reflect some literary maturity Classics, Linguistics and African because the writer (Esan) has been Languages and Modern European schooled by traditions, cultural Languages with Institute of African experience, native intelligence and

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the knowledge of comparative linguistic rivalry and competition Literature. with the English language for

Before the outbreak of the Nigerian communicative purposes in writing Civil War (1967), some writers of and or speaking. Since the focus of Yoruba-language literature emerged. this paper is on the literature written Among these writers is Afolabi in Yoruba language, our focus will be on Yoruba Language. Olabimtan who published Oluwa L’o M’ejo Da (1966) and Kekere Ekun As a result of the unhealthy linguistic (1967).Today, there has been rivalry and competition between the considerable number of writers of English language and indigenous literature in Yoruba Language Nigerian languages, Yoruba writing on various themes such as Language is being threatened for its family issues, violence, politics and linguistic survival. This is premised corruption. It is however upon the understanding that when disheartening that what Yoruba- two countries/languages are in language literature has gained in the contact, they suffer in different ways quantity and quality of its writers has and with different degrees. The been lost to the absence of willing dominant culture or language and fluent readers of Yoruba - survives the challenges and trials language literature. while the dominated culture or language is forced into a moribund 4. Yoruba Literature and the state or it is endangered. Human English Language mobility, dynamic economic The fact that English is the second structures and the ever-changing language in Nigeria has been social order make culture/ language acknowledged by scholars and contacts and shifts in linguo-cultural linguists in different research paradigms inevitable. With this documents: books, journals, position, this paper acknowledges monographs and inaugurals (see the opinion of Kraus (1992:4-10) in Adegbite, 2010; Banjo, 1996; the classification of languages based Bamgbose, 1971and 2001; on safety parameters. He (Kraus) Jowitt,1991; Akindele and Adegbite, languages into three: (i) moribund 19996; Dada, 2006 and Akere 2009. languages (ii) endangered languages; Apart from being the second and (iii) safe languages. language in Nigeria, English has become the Language of Wider Kraus opines that moribund Communication (LWC) and languages are no more acquired as Language of Wider Mutual mother tongues by children. These Intelligibility (LWMI) in Nigeria’s languages have lost their use; and multilingual context. Consequently, thus, because of disuse or lack of Yoruba and other indigenous use, they have become property of languages are engaged in unhealthy forgotten history. Moribund 153 Covenant Journal of Language Studies (CJLS)Vol. 1, No. 2, December, 2013.

languages have lost their speakers competence. With the sociological and the only evidence of their and sociolinguistic evidences at our existence can only be extracted from disposal, these children are not at archaeological findings. Endangered fault. The problem begins from home languages are learnt by children as and it is later compounded by the their mother tongue but with no society. The contemporary reality is committed interest. The uses of these that most Yoruba homes have been languages in wider communication anglicised. Children no longer contexts are suppressed because their acquire and learn Yoruba as the speakers have been caught in the mother/first tongue from parents, web of linguistic imperialism. In the siblings and neighbours because opinion of Kraus, 40%- 75% of these adults desire that the children world languages are in this category. should be exposed to the use of If urgent and well co-coordinator English Language at a formative actions are not taken, the endangered stage. The consequence is that these languages will move to the category children are caught in the web of (i) of moribund languages by the end linguistic confusion between Yoruba of the 21st century. Safe languages language and the English language. have the chance of survival and The situation of Yoruba language continuous use. In Kraus' view, 5%- endangerment motivates us to 10% of world’s languages are in this postulate the notion of literature category. The safe languages have endangerment. In our opinion, the status of languages of literature endangerment occurs when international communication (LIC) literatures in a particular language and their speakers are spread and have a very large number of dispersed across the globe. disinterested readers to the point of Following the line of thought of near abandonment. Like Yoruba Kraus, it can be said that Yoruba language, the Yoruba-language language is endangered while the literature is being endangered. The English Language is safe in endangerment of literature written in Nigeria’s multicultural and Yoruba Language is as a result of the multilingual contexts. Many negative attitude of children, parents “modern” and elitist Yoruba children and adults alike towards the cannot read Yoruba alphabets with acquisition and learning of Yoruba commendable linguistic competence. Language. Our argument is based on These children falter and fumble the fact that there is an intricate link with the reading of Yoruba between language and literature. A Language alphabets with no success. literature (oral or written) is made, On the other hand, these children transmit and share with the audience read English Language with through the facilities of language. linguistic proficiency and With this intricate link between

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language and literature, the “death” But the ultimate injustice to of one will undoubtedly precipitate the memory of Fagunwa and the death of the other. The negative to the nature of his disposition of Yoruba speakers to achievement comes however their language is reflected in their from his own publishers who attitudes towards writing and reading seem to have appreciated his in the language. value as a source of

The statistics of writers of profitable business rather imaginative literature shows that than as a writer in his own there are more writers using the right. In the translation of medium of English than the Yoruba Fagunawa’s novel, Ogboju medium. Social and economic Ode, prepared by Wole factors are accountable for this. The Soyinka and published by sociology of the English language in Nelson, the title page and Nigeria shows its dominance over blurb are designed to relegate other indigenous languages Fagunwa into the backdrop (including Yoruba language). This as much as possible, and to dominant status of the English bring the translator into language, consequently, accounts for focus, obviously, Nelson are the favorable social status it has. The more interested in having literary writers prefer to write in Soyinka on their list (with English because it is the Language of the prospect of good sales Higher Domain (LHD) unlike the that this entails) than in Yoruba that is conditioned to the giving the wider world a status of Language of Lower Domain taste of Fagunwa’s creative genius. (LLD) by the attitude of its users (speakers, writers and readers). For his original creative text written These literary writers want literary in Yoruba Language, Fagunwa visibility and recognition while the hardly gained visibility and established writers want to gain recognition unlike his counterparts currency by using the medium of the using English Language as the English language. The literary fate of medium of their literary D.O. Fagunwa is instructive in this expressions.nFor economic instance. Nelson, Fagunwa’s consideration, Nigerian publishers publishers gives prominence to the prefer publishing books in English English translation of his novel, because it is the Language of Wider Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Communication (LWC), hence, Irunmoledone by . On larger readership than the texts this literary injustice, Irele (1975: 77- written in Yoruba language. The 78) comments: current state of Yoruba language is that there is no committed literary

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engagement as compared to literary should be encouraged in homes and texts written in English language. schools. The language policy in the Most publishers are not ready and National Policy on Education should willing to publish texts written in the be adhered to strictly. In the policy, Yoruba language except such texts it is said that a child will be taught are on the approved reading lists of with his/her mother tongue and/or the State and Federal Ministries of the language of the immediate Education for particular examination. environment from class one This situation is not the same with (primary) to three before his /her the literary texts written in the exposure to English Language from English language. The Nigerian primary four. This will create a publishers willingly and readily renewed interest in the use of Yoruba publish manuscripts written in the Language.

English language. This practice of Secondly, there should be a policy Nigerian publishers is a limitation to that stipulates that at least a credit the promotion literary texts written pass in Yoruba be made a in Yoruba Language. compulsory pre-requisite alongside Going by the above observations and English Language and Mathematics discussions, the future of the Yoruba for further opportunities (admission language Literature in the 21st into tertiary institution and/or for century and beyond is not certain. employment, especially for The survival and the future of candidates of Yoruba extraction). Yoruba-language literature in the 21st This policy is likely to inspire century and beyond is bleak. It is in interest in secondary school students our opinion that to ensure the future in the language. of Yoruba-language literature, there Thirdly, incentives and special should be realistic decolonisation of package should be given to teachers indigenous thinking and orientation of Yoruba Language. This will and ideals from Eurocentric motivate students to want to study paradigms. This implies seeking Yoruba Language and Literature at redefinition in Nigeria’s own Nigerian tertiary institutions. languages (Omotoso, 2008:299). Besides, students who study Yoruba 5. Recommendations Language and Literature in schools Based on the aforementioned issues should be given special consideration raised in this paper, some (in terms of fee subsidy, scholarship recommendations are made. and bursary). This will motivate Since the survival of the Yoruba- students to attach some special value language literature relies on the use to the study of Yoruba Language and of the language (Yoruba) in social Literature. communication, private and public spheres, the use of Yoruba language 156

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Fourthly, specialist teachers should tradition to the logocentric tradition. be made to teach the subject It also examined the impact of (Yoruba) in Nigerian schools. It Christianity on the development of should not be made the subject for Yoruba Literature. It is our anyone who can communicate in the observation in the paper that the language. Yoruba language and literature face

Lastly, the departments that offer a fundamental setback because of Yoruba as a course in tertiary lack of interest in the use and institutions should also ensure that speaking of Yoruba. In the the course is taught in the language. contemporary Yoruba society, Research works and dissertations children, youths and adolescents do should also be documented in not show committed interest in the Yoruba. reading of literary texts written in Yoruba Language. The paper 6. Conclusion therefore makes five This paper has examined the state of recommendations on how to improve Yoruba language and literature in the on the state of Yoruba in the 21st 21st century and beyond. It examined century and beyond. the evolution and development of Yoruba from the phonocentric

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About the Author Azeez Akinwumi SESAN is a lecturer in the Department of Languages (English Unit) of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin. His research areas include African Literature, Oral Literature, Literary Theory and Criticism, Performance, Gender, Media and Cultural Studies. Email: [email protected]

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