Olagunju Modupe believes that our Local language generally brings about cultural
identity. As Founder of Yoruba Learning Initiative, Asalewa, the future of indigenous African language is safe. In this interview she tells us more about the need to promote indigenous languages.
NNI: Can we meet you? (Personal, Education, Career wise and everything else you want us to know)
Guest: My name is Olagunju Modupe, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University. I am an entrepreneur and a teacher.
NNI: What prompted you to teaching Yoruba language in your unique style?
Guest: My love for the language prompted me.
NNI: To you, what is the relevance of local language in communication and how can we leverage it for growth?
Guest: Our Local language generally brings about cultural identity. As long as you can identify yourself, language barrier is broken. That way, it will be easy to communicate without hindrances.
Also, we can leverage it for growth by promoting it in ways that will be beneficial to the owners of the language in the long run.
NNI: How did you come about Asalewa? How did it begin?
Guest: My dad's name is Awelewa. He noticed my passion for the language so he adviced me to provide solutions to interested people who want to learn. That way, I can earn. Awe is mainly used for an handsome male child and to think of it, Culture is beautiful! That's how I found the name Asalewa.
Guest: My name is Olagunju Modupe, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University. I am an entrepreneur and a teacher.
NNI: What prompted you to teaching Yoruba language in your unique style?
Guest: My love for the language prompted me.
NNI: To you, what is the relevance of local language in communication and how can we leverage it for growth?
Guest: Our Local language generally brings about cultural identity. As long as you can identify yourself, language barrier is broken. That way, it will be easy to communicate without hindrances.
Also, we can leverage it for growth by promoting it in ways that will be beneficial to the owners of the language in the long run.
NNI: How did you come about Asalewa? How did it begin?
Guest: My dad's name is Awelewa. He noticed my passion for the language so he adviced me to provide solutions to interested people who want to learn. That way, I can earn. Awe is mainly used for an handsome male child and to think of it, Culture is beautiful! That's how I found the name Asalewa.
NNI: How receptive are students to the Language? Especially for first timers?
Guest: So far, the Yorubas in diaspora that I teach are excited to learn their mother language. The joy is in them to learn and understand.
NNI: In what ways do you think government and learning institutions are doing enough to promote cultural heritage?
Guest: The Government is not helping. In all settings, they prefer to speak foreign languages even to their people.
Some learning institutions are enforcing it, especially at the Primary and Secondary level. In the curriculum of many schools, it is compulsory for students to learn a language but many still prefer to take courses in French than Yoruba.
NNI: Teaching the Yoruba language is not very recognised in our society. What ways do you suggest to improve the appreciation of Yoruba language?
Guest: Speaking the language. It all starts from the family. Families makes a society. So if a family doesn't feel their mother language is too local to speak to their children, then there will surely be an improvement. Family Plays a huge role in Language Appreciation.
NNI: By what you do, what defines social impact for you?
Guest: With Asalewa, I have impacted lives, I have made people see their language as a necessity and I have changed few people's orientation about Yorùbá language.
NNI: As a Yoruba Distant Learning Initiative, do you still intend to spread across other languages?
NNI: How do you run your classes at Asalewa.
Guest: Our classes run in sessions. There is a curriculum based on the student's level of knowledge about the Language. However, our basic goal is to meet individual needs as much as possible so that the class is not redundant for our students and to afford great fun while addressing their level of proficiency.
Guest: So far, the Yorubas in diaspora that I teach are excited to learn their mother language. The joy is in them to learn and understand.
NNI: In what ways do you think government and learning institutions are doing enough to promote cultural heritage?
Guest: The Government is not helping. In all settings, they prefer to speak foreign languages even to their people.
Some learning institutions are enforcing it, especially at the Primary and Secondary level. In the curriculum of many schools, it is compulsory for students to learn a language but many still prefer to take courses in French than Yoruba.
NNI: Teaching the Yoruba language is not very recognised in our society. What ways do you suggest to improve the appreciation of Yoruba language?
Guest: Speaking the language. It all starts from the family. Families makes a society. So if a family doesn't feel their mother language is too local to speak to their children, then there will surely be an improvement. Family Plays a huge role in Language Appreciation.
Guest: With Asalewa, I have impacted lives, I have made people see their language as a necessity and I have changed few people's orientation about Yorùbá language.
NNI: As a Yoruba Distant Learning Initiative, do you still intend to spread across other languages?
Guest: The Asalewa logo says it all. The design depicts Africa and our aim to teach all African languages. We have only started with Yoruba Language.
NNI: How do you run your classes at Asalewa.
Guest: Our classes run in sessions. There is a curriculum based on the student's level of knowledge about the Language. However, our basic goal is to meet individual needs as much as possible so that the class is not redundant for our students and to afford great fun while addressing their level of proficiency.
NNI: How do you think Language and Arts affects Global Youth Development and growth?
Guest: Cultural Art works, Shows, Exhibitions and Music in circulation is one good way through which Language is Language and Arts affects Global Youth Development and growth.
NNI: What is your advice to fellow young individuals?
Guest: Be smart. You only have a second to give an impression; get skilled and be informed.
NNI: What new heights do you hope to scale in the near future?
Guest: I hope to achieve more career wise
NNI: Thank you very much for your time.
Guest: You're welcome. Thanks for the opportunity.