https://onigegewura.blogspot.com.ng/
Many
Nigerians were pleasantly surprised recently to see the video clip of a British
lady conversing fluently and effortlessly in Yoruba with His Imperial Majesty,
the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II (Kabiyesi o!).
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDfdeuwZW4U
The
lady is however not a stranger. She is one of us. That’s the famous Oloye (Ojogbon) Karin Barber, the Iyamoye of Okuku, Osun State. You are
surprised?
Though
a British by nationality, Iyamoye is an African by nature. She was a member of
the popular Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group in Oshogbo, of which Baba Wande (Kareem
Adepoju) and Professor Kola Oyewo were members.
She
did her Ph.D at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (then known as
University of Ife). Her doctoral research was on the role of oral poetic
performance in every day life. For purpose of the study, she spent 37 months in
Okuku, Osun State. Her research was adjudged as one of the best works to have ever
been conducted by a Ph.D student.
Oloye
Karin later became a Lecturer in the Department of African Languages and Literature
in the same University. Yoruba was used as her teaching language. Iyamoye was
in Nigeria from 1977 until she returned to the UK in 1984.
Ojogbon
Karin is the author of many prize-wining books on Yoruba Language and Yoruba
Culture. These include:
Yoruba Dun un So: A Beginners’ Course in
Yoruba
I Could Speak Until Tomorrow: Oriki, Women
and the Past in a Yoruba Town
Print Culture and the First Yoruba Novel
The Generation of Plays: Yoruba Popular Life
in Theatre
Yoruba Wuyi
 |
| Ulli Beier |
Her
Majesty, the Queen also appointed her the Commander of the British Empire (CBE)
for services to African Studies.
Iyamoye
is not alone as Oyinbo Dudu (black soul in white skin). Of course you know
Obotunde Ijimere? That’s Ulli Beier, the
author of The Imprisonment of Obatala and
Other Stories, and Thirty Years of
Oshogbo Art, amongst others.
And
you also know Sussane Wenger (Aduni Olorisha), the Chief Priestess of Osun
Shrine. It was largely due to her efforts that the Osun Shrine became listed as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 |
| Aduni Olorisha |
Our
culture is our heritage. Our language is our pride.
We thank these illustrious
souls for their contributions to the revival of our culture.
Oodua agbe yin o. Oranfe a gbe yin o.
Please
do something today. Speak Igbo to your children. Address your children in
Yoruba. Talk to them in Efik. Read Wakokin
Hikima to them in Hausa. Trust me, it won’t kill them.
Onigegewura©
09-08-2107
Onigegewura,thank you so much for this info. I'd seen the video earlier but I now appreciate it more. Thanks once again
ReplyDeleteTrue talk. We often take the easy option and speak English. It requires some effort but the reward is priceless
ReplyDeleteIt's really a heavy blow on our ethnic cultural languages. Most homes now use "oyinbo" to raise children the same set we see as upcoming generation. Whose mistake?????
ReplyDeleteIF OYINBO'S COULD APPRECIATE OUR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, THEN I CANT STOP THINKING WHY WE NIGERIA DONT APPRECIATE OUR OWN HERITAGE.GOD WILL HELP US.
ReplyDeleteHow i wish Nigerians will be Nigerians in Nigeria instead of living as foreigners in a local cloak!
ReplyDeleteInu asa ni ogbon wa. Omo ti ko gbo ede abinibi ko le mo asa ati ise wa.
Irufe won lomo to so ile nu ti awon agba so pe, o so apo iya ko
Speak your language so that your children will be wise!
cudos sir. Please i will like to share this on my blog. I am a blogger and i write in Yoruba language. Thank you. check out www.kollymoore.blogspot.com. Well done sir.
ReplyDeleteBaba Mi! Ede Geesi dun pupo but ede abinibi wa comes first anyday! We need to teach our children!
ReplyDelete