…Partners DAWN Commission, Wikimedia
By Wuraola Oyedokun
The International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture, in partnership with Wikimedia has set up a committee to standardise Yoruba orthography with a mandate to examine and harmonise the current orthography.
The latest Yoruba orthography in use at present was authorised in 1974.
The committee comprises scholars in Yoruba Language, Editors of Yoruba books, the Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria, Association of Yoruba Language Lecturers in Colleges of Education in Nigeria, Association of Yoruba Language Teachers and Culture in, Nigeria, Association of Nigerian Publishers and Theatre Arts and Motion picture Association and others.
According to the communiqué signed and made available by the Chairman, Supervisory Committee of the project, Dr. Alao Adedayo and its Secretary , Supervisory committee, Dr Aderemi Fajenyo, the committee would put machinery in motion to achieve the set goal.
At the meeting which was held at the University of Ibadan, three sub-committees were set up to work out modalities on how to achieve the aims of the main committee. The sub-committees are International Mother Tongue Committee, Essay Competition Committee and Orthography Committee.
There would be a three-day event for the project with the participants at the programme arriving on February 19,2024.
The group will be inaugurated on February 20,2024 while a seminar will be held on February 21,2024 to commemorate the International Mother Tongue Day February 21.
“Language for a Sustainable World” has been chosen as the theme of the programme.
The communiqué read: ‘’This event took place with the presence of president of Wikimedia group, President of Yoruba world centre, Presidents of Yoruba focused organizations such as Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria, Association of Yoruba Language Lecturers in Colleges of Education in Nigeria, Association of Yoruba Language Teachers and Culture in, Nigeria, Association of Nigerian Publishers and Theatre Arts and motion picture Association.
‘’The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria {DAWN} commission and a supervisory committee were also present.
‘’The latest Yoruba orthography to be formally acknowledged was authorized in 1974, setting a norm for writing that is still in use. However, it has been found that there are some inherent faults in it. Furthermore, it is highlighted that several words’ spellings are inconsistent. In order to create a standardized Yoruba orthography, this committee was established to examine the current orthography.
‘’The goal is to assist all language users in creating a standard orthography that is both acceptable and widely used’’.