The Department of Adult Education at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) marked the 2024 International Literacy Day on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 with an impactful outreach event at the palace of the Olú of Ìwàyà-Yaba Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Suleiman Owolabi Ogun-Oloko, the Ade Ori Okin II of Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom, Lagos State, Nigeria.
The goal of the outreach was to take the gospel of literacy and oral hygiene to an underserved community near the University. This year’s celebration, themed: Peace, Language, and Health Literacy: Bridging Communication for Well-Being, focused on engaging and educating local residents of Iwaya on the importance of literacy, health, and well-being.
The event, which was warmly hosted by the Iwaya Kingdom’s monarch, witnessed an inspiring and historic collaboration of UNILAG, Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom, Lagos State Agency for Mass Education (SAME), and the Nigerian Non-Governmental Association for Literacy Support Services (NOGALSS).
The Literacy Coordinator of the Department of Adult Education UNILAG, Professor Blessing E. Anyikwa, opened the event with a speech highlighting the purpose of the celebration and explaining why it was held in the heart of the community this year. She emphasized the department’s commitment to serving the underserved population, particularly those who are often unable to read or write. She assured that “bringing this celebration to the Iwaya-YabaKingdom is a part of our mission to reach those who may lack access to literacy and educational opportunities.”
The gathering attracted a wide variety of community members, including market vendors, meat sellers, barbers, truck pushers etc. from all age groups. For many of these participants, literacy can be a path to new opportunities and empowerment.
For this reason, the constant message reverberated throughout the event was the abundance of availability of free resources for interested members of the community to access educational opportunities in improving their literacy levels. Some of such opportunities lie within the Literacy program facilitated by the Department of Adult Education, Faculty of Education, UNILAG; as well as different literacy centres and endeavours by SAME and NOGALSS.
The goal to truly bridge the communication gap for peace, language and health was achieved as the event’s content was translated into Yoruba, the predominant language spoken in the Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom. As an impressive addition, even the Yoruba version of the Nigerian National Anthem was rendered by the Head, UNILAG Department of Adult Education, Professor Ronke C. Ojo.
Notable keynote speakers such as Director of SAME, Mrs. Oluwakemi Yetunde Kalesanwo and Lagos Chairman of NOGALSS, Pastor Bello Afolabi, also communicated with members of the Iwaya community in their local dialect, Yorùbá language, as well as in English language to make this year’s celebration memorable, meaningful, and genuinely inclusive.
In addition to literacy education, the event included a partnership with Dental health professionals of the University’s Faculty of Dental Sciences, who provided free oral health check-ups and treatments on-site for attendees as well as a session on oral health.
A dental specialist, Dr. Ayedele Ogundana, who delivered an enlightening talk on oral hygiene, explained the connection between oral health and overall well-being. He added that oral examinations could reveal signs of many health conditions and encouraged regular dental check-ups.
Dr. Ogundana also shared essential tips, such as brushing one’s teeth before bed, then rinsing it in the morning before eating, and subsequently brushing the teeth after breakfast for a good breath throughout the day. He gave this clear explanation to help community members maintain good oral hygiene. He noted also that individuals should adopt the use of soft to medium texture toothbrushes rather than hard ones.
According to him, the use of chewing sticks, a local medicinal tree bark, is also welcome in oral healthcare. However, that when using chewing sticks, individuals should ensure it is properly cleaned and the chewed part is finely chewed to form brittles like those seen in modern toothbrushes.
Participants were subsequently engaged in a question and answer session to ascertain their understanding of the oral health talk. This saw some members of the community going home with cash rewards, gift packs and other perks.
The Director of the Lagos State Agency for Mass Education, Mrs. Oluwakemi Kalesanwo, while delivering her keynote address, emphasised the importance of bridging the literacy gap. She encouraged members of the community to embrace the value of education in both their mother tongue, Yoruba, and English language.
Mrs Kalesanwo urged parents to teach their children in their mother tongue from an early age and to recognize the power of literacy as a means to better opportunities and personal growth.
In a show of commitment to this mission of instilling firm roots of literacy education within the Iwaya-Yaba community, the Lagos Chairman of NOGALSS, Pastor Bello Afolabi, announced the establishment of a new and free literacy centre in the royal palace of the Olu of Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom. The King, HRM, Oba Suleiman Owolabi, approved this proposal by naming the literacy centre thus: Oba Muritula Aremu Ogun-Oloko NOGALSS Adult Literacy Centre.
This initiative will allow residents to come to the palace to acquire reading and writing skills at no cost, fostering a new path to education for those who may have previously felt it was beyond reach.
As side attraction, a 400 Level student of Yoruba Education at the University of Lagos known as Adeola Akẹ́wì gave an exceptional display of the Yoruba culture through praise singing of the monarch of Iwaya-Yaba kingdom as well paying homage to different sub groups of the Yoruba ethnic group such as Egba, Oyo, Ijesa, Ife, Awori, Ekiti etc.
In addition, there was a drama presentation on the theme of the day by a youth-group coordinated by NOGALSS, led by an esteemed UNILAG alumna, Dr. (Mrs) Peace Salamatu Sule. Dr Sule is a teacher at Akoka Junior High School, Lagos, who has been honoured with the award of the 2nd Best Teacher in Nigeria at the 2024 Presidential Best Teacher Award. In 2023, she made it into the prestigious Top 50 Finalists of the 2023 Global Teacher Prize. As a member of NOGALSS, she contributed to the International Literacy Day by coordinating these young minds to present a play that depicts the importance of peace and unity among all ethnic groups in Nigeria, while highlighting the importance of literacy to all.
This year’s International Literacy Day event provided not only information but also tangible pathways to literacy and health for inhabitants of the Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom.
The University of Lagos, through its Department of Adult Education, is proud to support these efforts; bringing knowledge, resources, and hope to local communities. As the event drew to a close, many participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn and grow. Among them was the Babaloja of Iwaya, Chief Anyorilo who expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided by the outreach for the market men and women.
HRM, Oba Suleiman Owolabi Ogun-Oloko Ade Ori Okin II, the Olu of Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom, expressed his appreciation to the University of Lagos and other collaborators for bringing such an experience to members of his community. Stating that the Iwaya-Yaba Kingdom is open for all forms of growth, he called for more progressive collaboration and partnership with UNILAG and other national and international partners.
The Department of Adult Education, Faculty of Education, University of Lagos has been commemorating the International Literacy Day since the year 2010 within the University campus and with diverse interventions to promote literacy. This year marks the first time the celebration is taken to town to bridge the gap between town and gown.
In the spirit of International Literacy Day 2024, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) reaffirmed its dedication to continue empowering underserved populations through education and to inspire positive change, bridging the literacy gap and creating a foundation for a healthier, more informed society.
Author: Nike Ogunshakin
Photographer: Islamiat Akanni
Article Editor: Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem
Photo Editor: Nike Ogunshakin
