Olakitan Olayinka
The Education Secretary, Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, has assured members of the association of Yoruba Language tutors that his administration will give necessary priority to the language in schools across Ikorodu Division.
Alhaji Odumbo, who stressed the need for proper focus on Yoruba Language, stated that its promotion will go a long way in preserving the Yoruba culture and traditions in their original forms for the present and many generations to come.
He gave the assurance and charge on Monday when chieftains and members of the Ẹgbẹ Akomolede Ati Asa Yorùbá Naijiria (Association of Yoruba Teachers, Culture and Literature of Nigeria, Ikorodu chapter), visited the LGEA Secretariat to formally present the state and the national championship trophies won by pupils from Ikorodu, to him.
Master Adeshina Iyanuoluwa, a Primary Six pupil of Ayangbure Primary School in the Local Government Education Authority, Ikorodu Local Government, emerged winner of the national Aroko Writing Competition. He also emerged as the best among his peers in Ikorodu, Education District II, and later at the state level where he competed with representatives across Education Districts ll.
He represented Lagos State at the national level of the competition where he competed against other participants from Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Ajido Gusu (Edo), Abuja, and Kogi, the states that made up the association, and Iyanuoluwa emerged overall best in the Aroko (a symbolic message or coded message or silent letter) Competition during the just concluded 50th Annual National Conference of the Ẹgbẹ Akomolede Ati Asa Yorùbá Naijiria (Association of Yoruba Teachers, Culture and Literature of Nigeria) and General Meeting tagged, “Eko 2026”, which held between Sunday, August 2nd and Thursday, August 6th, 2026, at the Federal Government College Ijanikin, Lagos,
An SSS I student from Majidun Senior Grammar School, Master Olakitan Olayinka, also emerged as the second best overall in the secondary category of the competition.
Lagos State chapter of the association hosted the annual event with the theme, “Artificial Intelligence and Yoruba Studies: Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects”
In appreciation of Master Iyanuoluwa’s academic excellence, the Education Secretary, pledged secondary school scholarships for him and also supported the second overall winner in SSS category of the competition. He also made financial donation to the association.
”I congratulate you and thanks for making us proud in Ikorodu. I have also informed the Kabitesi of your feat as the traditional and cultural head in Ikorodu, and you will also be having royal reception to further acknowledge your achievement.
” I also want to thank and congratulate Ẹgbẹ Akomolede Ati Asa Yorùbá Naijiria (Association of Yoruba Teachers, Culture and Literature of Nigeria, Ikorodu chapter), for bringing honour to Ikorodu and for all that you do.
”I attended the national conference primary to reciprocate your honour for this office and myself. I appreciate the way and manner that you have been conducting your affairs”.
Assuring the association of the LGEA’s support for Yoruba Language teaching, Alhaji Odumbo, who recited two Yoruba literatures he learnt in primary school, said:
”My conducts and actions in life are guided by what have been inculcated in me since my primary school days which are embedded in the two literatures that I recited.
”We have beautiful culture and traditions as Yorubas, and in our literatures are lifelong lessons that, if adhere to, will bring progress and development to our society. So, you can count on my support to give necessary priorities to Yoruba Language.
He furthered: “Late Prof. Babs Fafunwa, a former Minister of Education, in one of his researches, revealed that students grasp teaching better when they are taught in their mother’s tongue. This emphasise the importance of culture in education.
”We have to give priorities to Yoruba Language for proper learning and also as a way of preserving our culture for the present and those generations yet unborn”, Alhaji Odumbo said.
The Education Secretary also assured of his assistance in bringing Yoruba teachers in primary schools back into the association as requested by its chieftains.
Mrs Babarinde Anike, Chairman of the association in Ikorodu, speaking earlier, thanked the Education Secretary for his support and provision of enabling environment which she said greatly contributed to the feat attained at the competition.
”Your support and partnership were parts of the reasons that we are excelling, and we are here today to present these trophies to appreciate all that you are doing.
” Your administration has been supportive of teachers by providing us with enabling environment”, she said.
An elder of the association, Mr Fakoya Akeem, also speaking, was full of appreciation for the Education Secretary.
He described the feat as first of its kind in the 50 years history of the association in Nigeeria.
”We are here to appreciate you for all that you are doing. Today, the association clocked 50 years and you are the first Education Secretary to associate fully with us and be part of our conference.
” This is also the first time that Ikorodu is winning these trophies which we are presenting to you”.
Mrs Oduwaiye Obafunke Omolara, the State Assistant Secretary of the association, described the feat as testaments to excellence in learning in Ikorodu, and the support and cooperation from the Education Secretary.
She pleaded for more support for Yoruba teaching because of its importance and intervention for primary school teachers to be returned to the association.
The immediate past chairman of the association, Mr Ademoroti Maruf, also speaking, pleaded for the Education Secretary’s further support for the association.
