What if teaching kids in Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba from day one sparked genius-level understanding? University of Ilorin’s Prof. Aderonke Soetan made that bold push Thursday in her 295th Inaugural Lecture, “Unlocking Learning and Instructional Resources,” urging Nigeria’s education bosses to prioritize mother-tongue instruction for foundational years.
She unpacked education as building knowledge, skills, values, and habits for societal impact, insisting outcomes hinge on vibrant learning environments and culturally synced methods—think models, charts, real objects, and pictures that ignite senses when matching kids’ language and heritage.
Mother-tongue resources supercharge comprehension, preserve indigenous tongues, and pair perfectly with modern tech like e-learning, VR, 3D animation, and mobile aids—Soetan challenged technologists and curriculum creators to craft these tools in local languages for max impact and Nigeria’s linguistic legacy.
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