An educationist in Osun State and Proprietor of Okanlawon Science Academy, Osogbo, Mr. Badmus Ismail Okanlawon, has posited that teaching with lingual franca would promote the use of indigenous languages among Nigerian students and preserve local languages.

He said the proposal to formulate education policy in which pupils would be thought in their mother tongues in the schools is a good idea that would help in preserving the indigenous languages for generations.

Okanlawon observed that even science courses could be thought with Nigerian indigenous languages, saying that the students tend to understand the lesson comprehensively if the explanation was given in their mother tongue.

Speaking with our correspondent on the side-line of the Role Model Day organised by the school, Okanlawon tasked government at all levels to keep promoting the nation’s lingua franca.

Speaking on the Role Model Day of the school, Okanlawon said the event was part of strategies to familiarise the pupils in the school with quality people worthy of emulation by showcasing such individuals to the pupils so as to guide the children to be good and choose their role models perfectly.

He said the former Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Osun State Council, Engineer Felix Adediran Ibitoye, was featured as a role model in the fourth edition of the event and that the occasion afforded the children the opportunity to interact with Ibitoye and learn from him.

Okanlawon said “pupils would be able to choose perfect role models if parents, guardians, teachers and the media make them hear more about good people in the society rather than echoing the names and offences of the corrupt individuals in the hearing of the children all the time.”

He explained that Ibitoye who is popularly known as ‘Kilomodemo’ (what does a child know) was choosing for the school’s Role Model Day because of his reputation and commendable lifestyle as well as laudable contribution to the society and the humanity as a whole.

Ibitoye was a former member of Osun State House of Assembly and he is currently a member of the National Executive of NSE. He was also the pioneer Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Osun State Chapter and he is currently serving as Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.

During the event, Ibitoye took time off to enlighten the pupils about the best way to live meaningful life and the need to choose a worthy person as role model for the purpose of guidance and tutelage.

Speaking with journalist, Ibitoye urged Nigerian government to encourage indigenous engineers by patronising the NSE members.

He urged government at all levels to always carry indigenous engineers along in their activities rather than depending on foreigners for projects that could be handled by Nigerian engineers.

He stated that the engineers were ready if only the government was willing to employ their service, saying the policies of the government towards the Nigerian engineers had not been favourable.

He emphasised that instead of wasting fortunes on the importation of farm implements, the engineers in the country could construct better implements that would enhance agricultural practice in the country.

According to him, “The government only sees the foreign engineers whenever anything is to be done in this country, neglecting the ones in the country. The only role a Nigerian engineer would play is to assist the foreigners and how will this grow our economy since the foreign engineers would take the money back to their countries.

“There is nothing the foreigners can do that the Nigerian engineers cannot do. If you go to their plants, you will see Nigerians handling pivotal role in most of their construction activities. So, why can’t we even create jobs in this country by promoting and patronising our indigenous engineers?”

The Chairman of the Board of Governors of the school, Mr. Yinka Anjous, commended the school for organising the programme to assist the pupils in choosing role models so as to shape their lives in excellent way.

During the event, outstanding students of the school were celebrated to the admiration of the parents and other guest who attended the occasion.

•Photo shows the Proprietor of Okanlawon Science Academy, Osogbo (OSAO) Osun State, Mr. Badmus Ismail Okanlawon, pointing out something to Engineer Felix Adediran Ibitoye during the Role Model Day organised by the school.

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