Learning a language other than my mother tongue and the universal language, English would be a proud achievement on my part. There are many benefits of being familiar with the languages of other ethnicities and if I'm allowed to learn, I would go for YORUBA.
I have lots of reasons why I choose to learn Yoruba; at least to start with, I reside in a Yoruba - speaking state (LAGOS NIGERIA) and also live among the Yorubas. I don't expect them to speak English all the time simply because I don't understand the language so the least I can do is to learn it. Ever felt odd being in a group and yet not aware of what is going on in the group??? 🤣🤣🤣. Well it happens to me most during conversations and to be honest, I always feel like disappearing from their midst 😅😅😜 but since I can't, I find myself staring in space🌌 and engaging in unimportant stuff just to while away time😀.
It's already my 8 year living in Lagos state, and the only Yoruba language I know is their greetings. To the best of my knowledge, the Yorubas hold their culture 🧫 in high esteem and their language is not exempted! Wherever you go, in the market, at school, in the hospital, in the bank, and many other places, these people dominate everywhere and they can't do without their language even in official settings. Oh yes, it's that serious and on different occasions, I have missed some good tidings just because I am not hearing the language. I remember pricing a particular product from an older Yoruba woman the other day in the market, and the woman kept speaking Yoruba for me, at a point, we lost communication. Apparently, she can't speak English and that was how I missed buying that product which I loved so much! Of course, I later bought it but it took me hours before I could see it in another place.
In the hospital throughout my stay, during my childbearing period, I felt the negative impact of not hearing this language so badly. I saw my fellow mothers getting the services they need so easily after communicating with the nurses and other workers in the ward speaking yoruba. Mine will take ages, speaking English and getting ignored🤦. It's not right for them to using native languages in an official setting but then, this is how it has been with my experience so far. It's either you speak the language, flow with them and get what you may need easily or you wait till whenever they open your chapter. Even on my immunization trips, this language has cost me time. I will visit the clinic so early and go back home late, just because of my inability to speak Yoruba! A lot of sentiments happen there and at this point, I am tired of complaining over how they handle things but rather wish I can learn this language to flow with them.
Luckily enough, my kids offer Yoruba as a course in school though they are still small, maybe I will learn from them. This is where I stay, YORUBA LAND, and learning this language will mean a lot to me. It means I won't have any barriers 🚧 in communication wherever I found myself in Lagos state. Of course, it will be an added advantage to me in my life endeavors socializing with different kinds of people here in Lagos.
This post is in response to the #hivelearners community contest on the topic titled BEING BILINGUAL. You can visit 
THANKS FOR READING!!!