FYI, the following article from the Nigerian paper Daily Sun is about a newspaper reporter who interviews and writes in Yoruba. It was seen at http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/mediapeople/2005/dec/28/mediapple-28-12-2005-001.htm (thanks to a Google alert)... DZO
"When you conduct interview in Yoruba, it brings out the nuances of the language" By NWAGBO NNENYELIKE Wednesday, December 28, 2005 Due to the fact that English has been adapted as official language of Anglophone countries in Africa, many see it as superior to African languages. Even among writers, English is the medium for writing. This prompted Professor Dapo Adelugba, an erudite scholar at the University of Ibadan to say once that "there are those who write in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other languages who are better than even those we brand the best writers in Nigeria". One writer and journalist who shares this passion is Idris Alooma with Alaroye Newspaper, Ilorin office. He says, "I studied Yoruba language and I can tell you that no African language is inferior to English language. It is the way our native languages are native here that English language is native in Britain". He further adds, "it is because we see English language as an elitist affair that we think it is superior". With this strong belief, he always ask questions in Yoruba when covering events. This has earned him a nick name Alaroye, among the high and low. On his newspaper he said: "the paper is meant for the literate and semi-illiterate, as well as grassroots people". According to him, it is when people answer his question in Yoruba that his writing comes out natural because they are natural when they speak. Joining journalism As an artist and a poet, I have always been interested in broadcasting. And while in the university, I was a member of the departmental press club. My activities there fired my interest in journalism and I vowed that I must be a journalist. I wrote in the magazine published in Yoruba language, entitled Laderin. I was also involved in a Yoruba programme Ewi on Ariya, a radio programme presented by Alhaji Fatai Dan Kazeem. As I do all these, I felt incomplete because I still wanted to write for a newspaper in Yoruba. Eventually I joined Alaroye Newspaper, where I am currently and I am the correspondent in Kwara State. Writing in Yoruba I believe that there is no language that is inferior to the other. I am proud and happy writing for a Yoruba newspaper. I must say that the Europeans were only lucky for colonising Africans. Let me ask you: What if we were the ones who colonised them would the Europeans speak and write Yoruba?. What I am saying in effect is that, all African languages including Yoruba, which I am deeply involved, are as powerful, and even more powerful than English language. I want to say that we must not be too elitist in our approach of communication. The point I am making is that, if we continue reading and writing in English, the semi-literates will be deprived of many things by way of information. In fact, the happiest day in my life was when I got the appointment in Alaroye Newspaper, which automatically means that I will always write in Yoruba, which has been my ultimate aim in life. Most people believe that you are superior when you write English. But this is a wrong impression because every language has its vocabulary. Though in my service year I wrote in the corps members magazine in English, but I must say that I feel more fulfilled writing in Yoruba. The readership of Yoruba newspaper, our readership is far better and more than those patronising newspaper published in English. I am certain over this, because only the elite read the ones written in English. But both half-literate and the elites read Alaroye Newspaper. The message is direct, the language is simple and we are for the grassroots. In addition to this, we take care of what happens in remote areas, which most newspapers published in English does not have time for. I must tell you that everybody is important to Alaroye. Alaroye in America The Yoruba community residing in America has appealed to our management to establish Alaroye in America so that their children will learn to read in Yoruba language. At the moment, we send some copies of Alaroye to America. As our Managing Director, Chief Alao Adedayo came back from US recently, he said that the plan has been sealed by the Yorubas in America to publish Alaroye. In University of Birmingham, two doctorate students are using Alaroye as case studies in their theses. Interview in Yoruba To me, it is necessary to ask questions in Yoruba because there are some top people in the society that people feel cannot speak Yoruba. Such people are governors, commissioner, judges, doctors, ministers lawyers, among others. But I make them speak Yoruba. The moment I ask my questions in Yoruba, people will be more interested in what they are saying. And most times, it brings a relief at the gathering where everybody has been speaking English. Another thing is that, when you ask people probing questions in Yoruba, it brings out the nuances of the language. Such people can speak in proverbs, and idiom. However, it helps me to get my story in a natural way. You know if they speak English and I interpret, the Yoruba ingredients would be lost. But when they speak in Yoruba they will be at their best and natural. It helps me to get facts and good angles that would help my story. Most striking story I see the interview I had with the late General Abdulkarim Adisa as the most striking and memorable. This is because, he told me where he wanted to be buried. The second day after the interview, he had accident and died three days later. The story did not only make front page in Alaroye, but it also boosted our sales in the whole of Kwara and Yoruba speaking states in Nigeria and Yoruba in diaspora are looking for. I have done so many striking stories from the human angle point. In fact, there was a story I wrote on a divorce case and the man involved wanted to attack me but the facts are there. Alaroye taking over my name A lot of people call me Alaroye wherever I go. I must tell you that it gives me joy. This is to show that all accepts the paper. I remember one man who reads Alaroye everyday. He stopped me one day and asked if we are super human going by the way we caption our stories. I told him it is because of our delivery of the Yoruba language. -- ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Know an art & music fan? Make a donation in their honor this holiday season! http://us.click.yahoo.com/.6dcNC/.VHMAA/Zx0JAA/TpIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
