Lagbaja’s ‘vernacular’ as a counter-narrative to colonial language imperialism in Yoruba society
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20252269 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kadupe Sofola (0000-0002-8536-7631, Kabarak University, corresponding author), Madimabe Geoff Mapaya (0000-0002-2444-3645, University of Venda) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-12-31 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cogent Arts and Humanities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2331-1983 • E-ISSN: 2331-1983 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/23311983.2026.2674392 |
| OpenAlex | W7163195752 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 36 |
Nigeria’s 1914 amalgamation required English as the official language due to its multi-ethnic nature, compelling indigenous people to learn English for formal settings. Language remains a crucial cultural determinant of grassroots development; however, mother tongues face challenges due to English dominance. This study, based on Critical Pedagogy and Semiotic Analysis, examines how Lagbaja’s ‘Vernacular’ uses music to decolonise linguistic hegemony and reclaim African identity. The song demonstrates music’s role as an informal teaching tool against oppression, defending the importance of mother tongues in cognitive development and communication in the classroom. Lagbaja transforms ‘Vernacular’ from a derogatory term into a symbol of resistance, using his masked persona to represent collective resistance against linguistic erasure. The findings reveal that the song employs translingual practices, sonic memory, and Yoruba-centric epistemology to challenge the hierarchical dominance of English. The issues raised in Vernacular highlight the urgent need to decolonise Nigeria’s language configuration for internal development
Colonialism · Cultural imperialism · Ethnic group · Indigenous · Yoruba · Historical Studies in Central America · Multilingual Education and Policy · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies
Raciolinguistics
Literacy as Translingual Practice
Mother Tongue as the Basis of Our Education
From Admonition to Bridal Serenade
Song Melody and Speech Tone Conflict in Translated Yorùbá Christian Hymns
Yoruba Epistemology, Art, Language and the Universe of Meanings
Yorùbá Primary School Songs
The language-in-education politics in Nigeria
Language Preference as a Precursor to Displacement and Extinction in Nigeria
Developing Mother Tongues as Academic Languages in Primary Schools in Kenya
Enlightenment and Attitudes of the Nigerian Elite on the Roles of Languages in Nigeria
English language and the mother-tongue dilemma in Nigeria
Colonial development policies as tools of ecological imperialism in Southeast Asia
When Fuji goes viral
The Nature and Function of Languages
Language of instruction and student performance
Assessing the Psychological Consequences of Internalized Colonialism on the Psychological Well-Being of Young Adults in Ghana
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |