The Yoruba World Centre is organising an evening of Yoruba Poems and Drums, in honour of Emeritus Professor Ayo Bamgbose, the first African professor of linguistics who is 90 this month.
The event which comes up on Wednesday, 26 January, 2022, and in collaboration with the Institute of African Studies, and the Yoruba Language Centre of the University of Ibadan, is to appreciate the huge contributions of the erudite scholar towards the development of Yoruba language and African linguistics.
Speaking on this, the Coordinator of Yoruba World Centre, Mr Alao Adedayo, says: “Part of the programmes of the Yoruba World Centre is to occasionally celebrate a Yoruba Very Important Personality by representing one of our arts: music, poem, drums, etc. to the general public, especially the young ones and the elites.
“It is for the young ones to learn about it and understand our recent past, and to be gingered towards achieving greatest possible heights in life. It is for the elites to develop interest in promoting and supporting such arts as a tool of job creation, industry and empowerment for the younger ones. It is also a source of primary data for further research and education on Yoruba history, arts and culture.”
Emeritus Professor Bamgbose was born at Odopotu, near Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on 27 January, 1932. He was admitted into St Andrew’s College and qualified as a Grade Two teacher in 1951. After some years of teaching, he gained admission into the University College, Ibadan, an affiliate of the University of London and graduated in 1960 with BA (Hons) English. He proceeded to University of Edinburg, and with the thesis: A Study of Structures and Classes in the Grammar of Modern Yoruba, he bagged his PhD in 1963. The same year, he joined the University of Ibadan as a lecturer.
Bamgbose’s contribution to the development of Yoruba language is immense. From the beginning of his career to the time of retirement, he remained the pioneer of modern Yoruba grammar with so many books to guide this and coming generations.
Packaged by Olayinka Agboola
