From left: Akinyinka Awosika, author's first child; Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa and the author Bankole Awosika.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has called for greater efforts to preserve Nigeria’s indigenous languages, describing them as essential to protecting the nation’s history, identity and cultural heritage.
Alausa made the call at the launch of Yorùbá: A Tonal Language Homophones, a new book by renowned Nigerian author and linguist Bankole Awosika, held at Moonstone Hall, Billings Way, Ikeja, Lagos.
Commending the author for his contribution to Nigeria’s educational and cultural development, the minister described the publication as a timely intellectual work that highlights the importance of indigenous languages in national development.
In a statement by the author on Sunday, the minister said, “The preservation of our indigenous languages is not merely about communication; it is about preserving history, identity, knowledge systems, and our collective heritage. Publications like this deserve to be encouraged because they bridge education and culture in a meaningful way.”
