Prof. Aderonke Soetan of the University of Ilorin has called on government and education stakeholders to prioritise mother-tongue instruction at the foundational stages of learning.
Delivering the university’s 295th Inaugural Lecture, titled ‘Unlocking Learning and Instructional Resources’, on Thursday in Ilorin, Soetan emphasized that education equips individuals with knowledge, skills, values, and habits to contribute meaningfully to society.
She highlighted that instructional resources—such as models, charts, real objects, drawings, pictures, and pebbles—are most effective when aligned with learners’ language and cultural context, as they stimulate interest and unlock potential.
“Soetan said mother-tongue-based resources strengthen understanding and help preserve indigenous languages, especially Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba,” the lecturer noted.
She also stressed the importance of modern teaching methods, including e-learning, mobile devices, hearing-assistive technologies, 3D animation, virtual reality, and digitisation. She urged educational technologists and curriculum developers to design culturally relevant instructional materials in indigenous languages to enhance comprehension and safeguard Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.