A mother tongue literacy initiative aimed at Nigerian children has reached a new milestone, with newly adapted Yoruba storybooks unveiled at an event held in Ibadan. Organisers described it as more than a ceremony, calling it a partnership and a promise to the future.
As part of the project's next phase, a total of 25,000 copies of the Yoruba-adapted storybooks will be distributed across 126 pilot schools in Oyo and Osun states, with the aim of ensuring that thousands of children gain access to quality reading materials in their mother tongue.
The project is being carried out by Room to Read in collaboration with accessible publishers, and with the support of bodies including the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council and the Universal Basic Education Board, alongside the state governments.
Officials said the initiative began the previous year, built on the belief that Nigerian children need to learn to read and write while developing their culture and habit of reading in their first language. They worked with a group of translators, including academics and professors, to adapt the books.
Speakers cited research showing that children who learn to read in their mother tongue or first language not only understand and enjoy what they read, but are also able to transition more easily into learning other languages, with mother tongue based education promoting active participation.
Organisers framed the effort as a way to promote literacy, preserve cultural heritage and strengthen foundational learning through indigenous languages, describing the unveiling and the distribution of the storybooks as the beginning of a wider journey.