When I was a sophomore at the University of Ibadan, my very close neighbor and friend off campus where I was living then once commented frankly that he believed the best thing that had ever happened to me was that I could speak the English language with profound ease. It was a compliment, but an embarrassing one at that, I must say.

We were a group of eight boys at the backyard chatting away our time when I quietly excused myself to pick my mom’s call. I spoke Ikale very delightedly and delightfully with her on phone that day and a few of them noticed this. It was after the call ended that this close neighbour of mine made the comment. I’d switched to English immediately after the call, and he looked at me for a moment wondering in awe why there was no mother tongue’s interference in my spoken English before he made his comment.

I took his comment that day in good faith and it comforted me in some way; in that it made me realize how well I’d perfected my spoken English to a point where no one would know where I came from or saw the Ikale in it. No, I was not speaking like a native speaker, and I certainly was not ‘faking’ a British accent. My voice was still unique in its way. I was just speaking with every consciousness of the correct stress placement, rhythm and intonation.

When I was growing up, my parents never spoke English with me. They did not understand a significant amount of it hence the reason. I learnt and used the English language largely in school. It never bothered me that my parents did not speak it; and I had always done well in the English language. I had a distinction in my O’levels English language. Even at the University, I have always performed incredibly well in the English courses I took as electives from the department of English. I am driving at a particular truth.

It is possible that your children know and become better at the English language, even without you speaking the language with them in the earliest years of their lives. The general idiosyncrasy among ‘educated’ parents of only allowing their children speak English and banning them from speaking their indigenous languages is not only ridiculous but also distasteful.

https://newsroundtheclock.com/our-mother-tongue-gbadebo-rhodes-vivour-and-the-rest-of-us/

This clown must be transport back to Anambra where he can support his terrorist ipob brother.

Azeemokoya:
When I was a sophomore at the University of Ibadan, my very close neighbor and friend off campus where I was living then once commented frankly that he believed the best thing that had ever happened to me was that I could speak the English language with profound ease. It was a compliment, but an embarrassing one at that, I must say.

We were a group of eight boys at the backyard chatting away our time when I quietly excused myself to pick my mom’s call. I spoke Ikale very delightedly and delightfully with her on phone that day and a few of them noticed this. It was after the call ended that this close neighbour of mine made the comment. I’d switched to English immediately after the call, and he looked at me for a moment wondering in awe why there was no mother tongue’s interference in my spoken English before he made his comment.

I took his comment that day in good faith and it comforted me in some way; in that it made me realize how well I’d perfected my spoken English to a point where no one would know where I came from or saw the Ikale in it. No, I was not speaking like a native speaker, and I certainly was not ‘faking’ a British accent. My voice was still unique in its way. I was just speaking with every consciousness of the correct stress placement, rhythm and intonation.

When I was growing up, my parents never spoke English with me. They did not understand a significant amount of it hence the reason. I learnt and used the English language largely in school. It never bothered me that my parents did not speak it; and I had always done well in the English language. I had a distinction in my O’levels English language. Even at the University, I have always performed incredibly well in the English courses I took as electives from the department of English. I am driving at a particular truth.

It is possible that your children know and become better at the English language, even without you speaking the language with them in the earliest years of their lives. The general idiosyncrasy among ‘educated’ parents of only allowing their children speak English and banning them from speaking their indigenous languages is not only ridiculous but also distasteful.

https://newsroundtheclock.com/our-mother-tongue-gbadebo-rhodes-vivour-and-the-rest-of-us/

gbam!

GRV should go and learn how to speak a fluent Yoruba language b4 contesting for the next governor.