Èdè Abíńibí- the tongue that names us

Before the term “lingua franca”, before its adoption and the evolution, there was communication, though interaction wasn’t as uniform as it varied across lands, from the major tribes down to the minorities. In my tribe it’s what we call “Èdè Abïnibí” (our mother tongue). As it is said that “Omo dé máń bọ̀wọ̀ fágbà níí” translating that “a child should respect the elderly”, I greet you based on whatever time you are reading this: E kàáàro, E káàsán tabi E kàale, which translates to good morning, good afternoon or good evening. As it is custom and tradition, "Gẹ́gẹ́ bí Àṣà àti Ìṣe wa ní ilẹ̀ Yorùbá" greetings and respect are very important, so I represent my tribe and mother tongue “Yoruba”. All the way from Osun state, in the south-west part of Nigeria. Speaking the mother tongue without having to bite one’s word is a privilege, “ that is speaking the mother tongue fluently, without hesitation”, not to forget the prestigious Yoruba folklore: “Ijapa ati yanibo” the clever tortoise, ijapa, whose wit outsmarts even the strongest. And the amazing, catchy songs like “L'abe igi orombo” a song about children playing in the shade of a great orange tree. These stories and songs prove that culture is heritage, not to forget about the beautiful names that come with cultural preservation, serving as an identification of passion, a name that is a testament to one’s very existence, a story of destiny captured in a word as it describes the art in tradition, we have names like: “Àyànfẹ́”( one who is cherished ),”Titilayo” ( eternal joy ) among other names tracing back history to the creation of time. The mother tongue holds too much uniqueness. Even in diaspora, it holds values, stories, festivals that commemorate beauty and nature like “The Eyo festival” and also the “Osun-Osogbo festival” among many more, it holds various delicacies across its fields. For instance we can perceive the enticing smells of “Moi moi” in markets and feel the heat of “ Amala with Gbegiri, Ewedu and Omi-obe with all sorts of assorted proteins” in Bukas, a taste of home that warms you from the inside out. The uniformity is a huge factor in development, that’s why we celebrate unity in diversity “isokan ni oniruuru”, but we also embrace our mother tongue “A n gbe èdè Yorùbá lárugẹ́”, as our pride and our symbol, with all esteem and confidence I say “Ọmọ Yorùbá ni mí” ( I am a Yoruba child ). In respect to INTERNATIONAL MOTHER TONGUE DAY I say “ Ẹ̀ jẹ́ kí á gbé èdè wa lárugẹ.” ( Let us promote our language ). Farewell, till we meet again. “Ó dìgbà."

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