‘Stop making your kids ashamed of yoruba!’ Bimbo Thomas to Nigerians

Nigerian actress and filmmaker, Bimbo Thomas, has called on parents to be deliberate about teaching their children indigenous languages, stressing that speaking one’s native tongue does not hinder success in life.

Thomas made this appeal while speaking with Saturday Beats following the viral appearance of her son, Jayden Olanrewaju, popularly known as Ogbeni Ajadi, on the Yoruba game show, Masoyinbo.

Jayden’s impressive fluency and confidence while speaking Yoruba earned him widespread praise on social media.

“More parents need to be intentional about passing on indigenous languages to their children,” Thomas said.

“Growing up in Lagos Island, some Yoruba parents felt that encouraging their kids to speak Yoruba would make them look local or not classy. But Igbo parents around us always taught their children to speak both English and their mother tongue.”

The actress revealed that her son’s passion for the Yoruba language was both natural and nurtured. “I often speak Yoruba to him, and my late mum called him Ajadi. He would always try to speak Yoruba with her, even if it wasn’t perfect. She made him understand the originality of the name, Ajadi. He just developed a natural passion for speaking Yoruba, blending it with the Queen’s English taught in school.”

Thomas expressed her pride and joy. “Thanks to Masoyinbo, his ability to recite numbers and deliver in Yoruba has improved. I was full of joy watching him. I’ve never been prouder.”