Yoruba Wikimedians User Group 2023-2024 annual activities
This page is designed to document the activities of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group for the year 2023 - 2024. This document activities from the 1st of July 2023 to 30th of June 2024..
July 2023
Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos 2023
On July 1, 2023, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group launched the local contest for the international Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos campaign. This is to promote this use of photos on Yoruba Wikipedia articles lacking photos. This is the second time the Yoruba Wikimedian User Group will be participating in the campaign.
Last year, images were added for a total of 3,196 and a total of 21 members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group participated in the contest.
Numerous images have been generously provided and added to Wikimedia Commons through a range of initiatives, such as advocacy programmes, photowalks, and contests. These include globally recognized photography competitions like Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Folklore, and many more. However, the use of these photographs in Wikipedia articles remains relatively limited.
A comprehensive set of Zoom-based training sessions were arranged to educate both new and experienced editors on the process of incorporating images into Wikipedia articles.
The significance of this project lies in its ability to address the lack of understanding among community members regarding the process of adding photos to Wikipedia articles while improving the quality of articles on the Yoruba Wikipedia.
Yoruba Indigenous Cousine program
On July 7, 2023, having learned about our Audiovisuals of Yoruba Indigenous Vocations project and its subsequent donation to academic institutions, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group received a letter of collaboration from the Yoruba language unit of the Department of African Language, Literature, and Communication of the Lagos State University to collaborate on documenting the Yoruba Indigenous Cuisine program being implemented as part of students course work.
More than 50 people participated in the program and more than 20 different Yoruba Indigenous Cuisine were prepared by the students and they were photographed and the audiovisuals were recorded. In the next phase, we plan to train the students and academic staff on how to contribute to the Yoruba Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
The project banner was shared on Twitter and received over 34,800 impressions. It garnered engagement from 1,675 individuals, with 125 retweets and 292 likes. The discussion surrounding the origin of the egusi soup featured in the banner sparked heated debates among participants. Some argued that egusi soup is a traditional Yoruba dish, while others presented opposing viewpoints, suggesting it is an Igbo recipe. This exchange of opinions was intriguing, as commenters shared various educational resources to support their respective arguments.
The images taken at the events were described and uploaded to Wikimedia Commons for use in Wikipedia articles where they were lacking. In August, we plan to organise a training session on the school campus and have the new trainees create articles for all the foods that were prepared that have no existing articles on Yoruba Wikipedia.
This project would provide us with the opportunity to strengthen our partnership with the department and start a fan club at the department to promote the continuous engagement of students in content creation and participation in our activities, making them invaluable members of the Wikimedia movement.
Yoruba Wikimedians:Let's Connect Session
On July 29, 2023, we had our first community call, where we connected with members of our community to keep them informed about our programmes and activities. More than 30 members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group joined the call. The primary aim of the call was to share our 2022 reports with the community, as well as our activity plan for the year 2023, and to collect their feedback on the past and proposed activities.
The event was facilitated by the President of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, Mikaeel Sodiq, and co-facilitated with other experienced members of the Yoruba Wikimedia community. The platforms provided an opportunity for participants to share their insights about our group and reflect on how our programmes had impacted their contributions to Yoruba Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
Members of the Yoruba Wikimedian User Group expressed their admiration for the leadership abilities demonstrated by the group's leaders, as well as the valuable assistance they have offered to community members throughout the previous year.
During the session, attendees had the opportunity to showcase their favourite song by performing it and sharing a brief anecdote explaining their deep affection for the chosen piece of music. The call was a captivating and thrilling experience for the individuals from the community who participated.
A proposal was made to schedule the calls on a monthly basis, subject to approval by the leadership of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. The upcoming community call has been arranged for the final Sunday of August in the year 2023.
Internet data support was offered to participants who had indicated their need for it at the conclusion of the call.
One of the community members who participated in the call expressed interest in connecting the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group with the Osun State Government and some top government officials to facilitate partnership.
August 2023
World Breastfeeding Week Edit-a-thon
On August 5, 2023, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group organized an edit-a-thon in commemoration of the World Health Organizations' World Breastfeeding Week. The event took place at the newly established Wikimedia Nigeria UG Office in Lagos. Prior permission was obtained from Wikimedia UG Nigeria to usee their training and event space. Seventeen members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group participated, generating a total of 22 articles. Among the attendees, four were new editors who were trained during the event. This edit-a-thon marked our inaugural in-person gathering for this fiscal year.
Mikaeel Sodiq, the president of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, facilitated the edit-a-thon, while the training for new editors was conducted by two experienced female members of our community, Balikis and Dorcas. Subsequently, the new editors have continued to contribute to the Yoruba Wikipedia.
World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration observed from August 1 to 7 in over 120 countries. According to the WBW website's data as of August 26, 540 events have been held globally, spanning 79 countries, involving 488 organizations and 406,620 participants for World Breastfeeding Week 2010. This marked the first time the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group organized an event for World Breastfeeding Week, aiming to create Yoruba-language content relevant to breastfeeding for the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. These contents hold significant relevance for Yoruba Wikipedia readers.
Slave Trade and its Abolition Translation a-thon
The Yoruba Wikimedians User Group is organized series of Translation a-thon to mark the International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade and Its Abolition. These translation-a-thons runs from August 23 to August 25, 2023. Existing articles were also improved by volunteer members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. A total of 26 editors participated in the translation-a-thon and a total of 67 new articles were created and improved. Prizes were awarded to the top three contributors, while other top 10 contributors received data reimbursement.
The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed internationally on August 23 each year. This date was officially designated by UNESCO to commemorate the transatlantic slave trade. The selection of August 23 was endorsed through the adoption of resolution 29 C/40 during the 29th session of the Organization's General Conference.
The significance of this date is rooted in historical events, specifically the night of August 22 to August 23, 1791, on the island of Saint Domingue (now Haiti). It was during this period that a significant uprising took place, catalyzing events that played a pivotal role in the eventual abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
September 2023
Deoband Yoruba Collaborative Project 2023 Drive
The 2023 Deoband Yoruba Collaborative Project was launched on the 10 September 2023. The DCW's goal was to have 100 articles for this drive but subject to time constraints and several other reasons, 50 articles were created. The drive run from 10th to 25th September 2023. Prizes were awarded to the top contributors.
Prizes were awarded to the following Yoruba Wikipedia editors;
Prizes were awarded to the following Urdu Wikipedia editors;
The Deoband Yoruba Collaborative Project (also known as DYCP) is a collaborative project between the Deoband Community Wikimedia and the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. The project aims to include content related to global Deobandi scholarship on the Yoruba language Wikipedia and "Yoruba-related" content on the Urdu Wikipedia.
Other objectives of the collaboration include, but are not limited to:
- to increase content on small language Wikipedias such as Urdu and the Yoruba Wikipedia.
- To promote international collaborations among Wikimedia affiliates
- Increase the quality of existing articles on small-language Wikipedias.
- to engage existing volunteers
- To promote Wikimedia projects in Nigeria and India
- to support the creation, development, growth, and free distribution of Yoruba and Deoband-related educational materials.
The collaboration was originally launched on the 1st of July 2022. The collaboration was covered in the media by The Chenab Times on June 26, 2022.
Wiki Loves Monuments 2023
In the past, we have organized Wiki Loves Monuments in the South West of Nigeria, encountering challenges such as configuring the upload wizard and synchronizing outcomes with the International contest. Subchronizing the outcomes with the international contest is crucial to ensure that participants in Wiki Loves Monuments in South West Nigeria were eligible for International Prizes.
Meeting deadlines posed difficulties, often requiring coordination with other Wikimedia communities in Nigeria for central notice banners. Unfortunately, the central notice banner admins sometimes faced challenges in configuring banners for us.
This presented significant challenges as Wiki Loves Monuments is structured as a national contest. The international organizing team emphasized that running separate contest by different groups would be technically challenging. To address this, we initiated discussions with established user groups in Nigeria to run a unified Wiki Loves Monuments. This year, we successfully executed a joint Wiki Loves Monuments with the Igbo Wikimedians User Group, Hausa Wikimedians User Group, Tyap Wikimedians User Group, and the Wikimedia Nigeria User Group.
A total of 2,802 images were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, with the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group recording the highest number at 920 images, followed by the Igbo Wikimedians User Group with 781 images. This collaborative approach proved effective for our communities.
We organized two photowalks in Lagos State and Abeokuta, Ogun State, including uploading sessions in both states to contribute and upload images taken by photographers. These images were uploaded by the photographers themselves following a training session. Thirty-five photographers participated, with at least 25 newcomers to Wiki Loves Monuments who are now part of our community. Overall, 52 individuals participated in the Wiki Loves Monuments contest organized by the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group.
At the end of the contest, a jury team was set up to review the images contributed and rank the images based on quality. Prizes were provided for the top three quality images, and separate prizes were provided for users with the most images contributed. The images contributed can be found at Images from Wiki Loves Monuments 2023 in the Yoruba Community. These photographers are now members of our user group. A WhatsApp group has been created for them and they are being encouraged to upload more photos fro their archives.
October 2023
Global Media and Information Literacy Week Edit-a-thon
The Global Media and Information Literacy Week Edit-a-thon was organized by the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group to commemorates the United Nations' declaration of media and information literacy worldwide.
On October 25, 2023, we conducted an online edit-a-thon to engage our volunteers, resulting in the creation of 20 news articles. Unfortunately, only a limited number of our community members participated in the edit-a-thon. Our initial plan for an in-person event was canceled due to the unavailability of a significant number of community members. Consequently, we shifted to an online edit-a-thon, but the turnout was extremely low, hindering the achievement of a meaningful outcome.
The focus of Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2023 is on digital spaces, providing an opportunity to explore avenues for enhancing multilateral cooperation with digital platforms and other stakeholders.
We had initially planned to translate 63 existing articles related to media houses from English Wikipedia to Yoruba Wikipedia. These articles were compiled in advance, but unfortunately, fewer than 20 of them were successfully translated.
Bi-annual workshop and seminar for teachers of Yoruba language in Lagos state
The Bi-annual Workshop and Seminar for Yoruba Teachers is a program organized by the Egbe Akomolede (Yoruba Teachers Association). This bi-annual workshop aims to help Yoruba teachers enhance their teaching skills and capacity. The event, which took place from October 22 to October 25, 2023, in Badagry Grammar School was chaired by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Raji Fashola.
During the workshop, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group was invited to deliver a talk on Yoruba Wikipedia and how members of the Yoruba Teachers Association could benefit from our programs. The presentation was led by Dansu Peter, representing the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group.
The session proved to be engaging, as many members of the association were excited to discover for the first time that Yoruba Wikipedia exists in the Yoruba language. This presentation strengthened our ongoing discussions with them about the potential for collaboration.
November 2023
Yoruba Wikipedian-in-Residence Program
On November 1, 2023, we hired a Wikipedian-in-Residence to work at the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, following a call for applications from an experienced Yoruba Wikipedia editor. Ọmọladéabídèmí99, a longtime female member of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, was hired following a successful application.
The Wikipedia-in-Residence program would run for 4 months as a pilot, and we hope to run it for a year next year. The Wikipedia in Residence would help to strengthen the relationship between the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Cuture and the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group.
The centre hosts thousands of books; it is our hope that the Wikipedian-in-Residence will work with the centre to release some of these materials into the public domain. She will also help to coordinate Wikipedia-related outreach events between the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture and the general public, such as edit-a-thons and capacity-building programs for staff and networks of the Centre.
The Wikipedia-in-Residence conducted a capacity-building training for the staff and Yoruba language students of the University at the Centre between 8 and 11 November 2023. Over 50 participants attended the training sessions, and the new editors have already begun contributing new articles to the Yoruba Wikipedia
On November 24, 2023, the Wikipedian-in-Residence conducted a Wikidata training session for Yoruba language students at the University of Ibadan. The training focused on creating Wikidata items for Yoruba books housed at the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture. Twenty-five participants attended, and by the end of the session, Wikidata items were successfully created for some books. A follow-up training is scheduled for November 29, 2023, at the center. The leadership of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group attended the training on November 24, 2023, to support the Wikipedian-in-Residence.
Furthermore, the Wikipedian-in-Residence has facilitated a partnership with the Tunde Odunlade Arts Gallery. A training session for the gallery's network partners is scheduled for 3:00 PM on November 29, 2023, immediately following the follow-up training for the Yoruba students at the University of Ibadan.
Yoruba Wiki Fan Club weekly meetup
The Yoruba Wiki Fan Club at the University of Lagos has undergone a leadership transition as a result of the conclusion of the previous leadership's tenure. The student body has successfully conducted elections to select the new leadership. The Yoruba Wikimedians User Group is scheduled to officially announce the newly elected leaders on November 28, 2023.
A training session and edit-a-thons were organized on November 22, 2023. The experienced editors created new articles, while new editors editors were trained on how to edit articles. Some of the new editors created their accounts on that day and made their first edits. A total of 23 students took part in the meetup, with a minimum of 5 participants being newly registered editors who created accounts and made their first contributions to the Yoruba Wikipedia.
The leadership of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group plans to attend the fan club's a weekly meetup on November 29, 2023. The purpose of this meetup is to meet with the new leadership and facilitate their transition into the role of managing the fan club. The new leaders are experinced members of the Wiki Fan Club in UNILAG who are trusted members of the fan club.
Audiovisuals of Yoruba deities
The Audiovisuals of Yoruba Indigenous Vocations is a project initiated and executed by the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group in November 2023, with the aim of documenting and preserving the knowledge of Yoruba deities. The project's primary goals encompass, but are not limited to, the following:
- Documenting and preserving knowledge of Yoruba deities.
- Providing audiovisual content of Yoruba deities under a free license for use on Wikipedia.
- Use a free license to create educational audiovisuals of Yoruba deities.
- Encouraging the use of indigenous knowledge.
- Promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity in knowledge sharing.
- Addressing content gaps in Wikimedia projects.
While the project officially commenced in October 2023, the shooting phase took place from November 10 to November 19. Project team members traveled to villages in the southwest of Nigeria to capture these audiovisuals, resulting in a total of 20 recordings.
Tunde Oladimeji, a Nigerian documentary filmmaker, actor, director, and television presenter renowned for his groundbreaking work in indigenous language documentary filmmaking in Nigeria, was commissioned and supported by the audiovisual production team at Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. The recordings were conducted in Yoruba but were accompanied by English subtitles. Notably, the recordings were unscripted, with content elicited through structured conversations and there were performance and rituals from the custodians of these deities. During these discussions, speakers were encouraged to use various grammatical tenses in their language and share culturally relevant knowledge pertaining to indigenous vocations.
Work plan and timeline
| Work plan & timeline | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month(s) | Location(s) | Activities | Resulting deliverables | Remarks | |||
| 4th October 2023 - 14th October 2023 | Lagos | Production meetings, elucidation protocol design, shoot days scheduling | Every arrangement will have been finalized |  Done
| |||
| 10th – 19th November 2023 | Lagos | Video production (shooting) & post-production (editing, color correction, sound mixing, subtitling; etc.) | 20 quality video produced (2–5 mins). | Done
| |||
| 23rd December 2023 | Lagos | Uploads to Commons | The video is uploaded to Commons |  Not done
| |||
| 28th December 2023 | Lagos | Audiovisuals promotion on social media and among community members | Video promoted | Not done
| |||
Communication plan
We have designed a simple communication plan to manage all communications relating to this project.
| Communication type | Objectives of communication | Medium | Frequency | Audience | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production meeting |
|
In-person | one-off |
|
Project manager (Mikaeel Sodiq) |
| Post-production meeting |
|
Online | one-off |
|
Project manager (Mikaeel Sodiq) |
| Video Licensing |
|
In-person | one-off |
|
Project manager (Mikaeel Sodiq) |
Deliverables
| Deliverables | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File type | No. of files | Format | Duration | Approximate size on GB or TB | |||
| Video | 20 | WebM or .ogg | 2 – 5 mins | 15 - 20 MB | |||
- Selected videos
December 2023
Yoruba WikiPlant Contest
Between December 9 and 22, 2023, we run the Yoruba WikiPlant Contest to translate articles about plants from the English Wikipedia to the Yoruba Wikipedia. The Yoruba language Wikipedia is specifically lacking in this area. This gap was identified, and the contest was launched to help bridge that important knowledge gap.
The project caught the attention of "Ewe" (https://ewe.com.ng/), an organization gathering Yorùbá ecological knowledge on plants, animals, insects, trees, and herbs. They have requested a partnership with the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. A total of 33 editors participated in the Yoruba WikiPlant contest, and 62 new articles were created. The contest also attracts participation from new editors who are new to editing the Yoruba Wikipedia. Trainings were organized for the new editors to help them build the capacity to effectively participate in the contest. They have continued to contribute to the Yoruba Wikipedia. We will sustain this effort through our partnership with Ewe.
Some of the articles created and their creators are listed in the table below
| SN | English Wikipedia articles | Created by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annona nutans | Toyosi praise |
| 2 | Annonaceae | Durotinu peter |
| 3 | Annona squamosa | Aláṣe EA |
| 4 | Annonaceae | Durotinu peter |
| 5 | Apricot | Temiluv |
| 6 | Breadfruit | Solution Tomi |
| 7 | Citrus australasica | IamMKO |
| 8 | Citrus australis | Olorungbotemi 1601 |
| 9 | Date plum | Quadrilingust |
| 10 | Eugenia calycina | Solomon Ojebode |
January 2024
Review of Yoruba language orthography
In December 2023, we began a conversation with the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture on the need to review the current Yoruba orthography. The last concerted effort on Yoruba orthography was in the early 1970s, which brought the 1974-approved orthography for the language. Even then, there were disagreements on some of the words and their spellings. Now that we are beginning a new language policy in Nigeria and because Yoruba has now been accepted globally, we must have a universally accepted orthography. This would ensure that the contents written on Yoruba Wikipedia and other related projects would be of good standard and quality and reflect the standard Yoruba orthography.
To enhance a smooth take-off of the New National Language Policy in Yoruba Studies, the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture (Yoruba World Centre), in collaboration with the DAWN Commission, Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, and other stakeholders, is coordinating an international conference focused on the standardisation of the Yoruba language orthography on February 20, 2024. The conference is to be capped with the first Southwest Joint Celebration of International Mother Language Day on February 21, 2024.
The organising committee, headed by Professor Oluwole Oyetade of the University of Ibadan, has begun elaborate consultations with teachers, learners, and users of the language, as well as the ministries of education in the Southwest, Kwara, and Kogi States. The Committee comprises the President of the Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria, YSAN; the President of the Association of Yoruba Language Lecturers in Colleges of Education in Nigeria; the President of Egbe Akómolede ati Asa Yoruba; the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Publishers Association; the Yoruba Writers Association; and other stakeholders. This committee shall work not only on the standardisation of Yoruba orthography but also on the continuous joint marking of the yearly Mother Language Day. The Yoruba Orthography Committee shall be inaugurated by the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, while Governor Seyi Makinde is the Chief Host for the two-day events. Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu is the guest speaker on Mother Language Day, with Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, supported by other Obas, as the Royal Father of the day. The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, shall host all dignitaries.
This project received significant coverages in multiple newspaper in Nigeria. They include the following;
- Yoruba World Center, DAWN Commission, Wikipedia, Others Begin Work on Standardisation of Yoruba Orthography - Daily Independent Newspaper
- International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture Launches Collaboration with Yoruba Wikimedians User Group - Wikimedia Diff
- Enhancing Yoruba Language Standardization: Yoruba Wikimedians User Group Collaborates for Positive Change - Wikimedia Diff
- Centre decries lack of uniformity in Yoruba orthography - The Guardian Newspaper
- Enhancing Yoruba Language Standardization: Yoruba Wikimedians User Group Collaborates for Positive Change - The Nation Newspaper
Trainings for Yoruba Teachers Association of Nigeria
On the 27th and 28th of January 2024, we organized a tow days trainings on how to contribute to the Yoruba Wikipedia for the Yoruba Teachers Association of Nigeria. A total of 20 teachers participated in the training, created their Wikipedia accounts and make their first edits.
It is our hope that these teachers who are also Yoruba language expert would continue to contribute to the Yoruba language Wikipedia and related projects. We are also happy that more than 70% of the teachers who participated are women. This would contribute to bridging the gender gap in our community. At the end of the two days trainings, certificate of participation were awarded to the participants. A WhatsApp group was created for the participants for further mentorship and experienced members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group were assigned as mentors to mentor them and ensure their continuous engagement of the participants. The participants were very happy about how the training went and thank the leadership of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group for the training opportunity.
One of the participants said:
I am priviledged to participate in this training today, as this training is coming at the time the government wanted all Yoruba language teachers to learn about using the internet for training our students. I will go back to my school and introduce my students to Yoruba Wikipedia and teach them how to contribute. I am proud to be a Yoruba Wikipedia contributor.
At the end of the training, a meeting with the leadership of the Yoruba Teachers was held to explore potential areas of collaborations. We will be collaborating on arrays of projects this year.
February 2024
Yoruba Storytelling event in Ibadan
On the 3rd of February 2024, we launched our annual storytelling event in Ibadan. This initiative is part of our Yoruba Oral Traditions aimed at documenting free knowledge and conserving Yoruba oral heritage. We put up a call for application for Yoruba storytellers to participate in the event. We received applications from 23 participants from which a total of 15 storytellers were selected and the storytellers were selected from the six states of the South-Western Nigeria including Kwara state. Owing to the nature of the event, our strategic team at the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group from Nigeria suggested that having the event held at a Gallery or cultural ceter would add color to the event. Tunde Odunlade Art Gallery in Ibadan was suggested as the right venue for the event. The event attracted an audience of approximately 40 attendees.
Notable storytellers in attendance included Ààrẹ Òpìtàn Ìbàdàn (Chief historian of Ìbàdàn), Laji Abbas, and Bukola Adeleke R. Adégbolá, renowned for her work “Àlàáfin Ajaka.” Among the distinguished storytellers were Tolu Fagbure, veteran actor and comedian Pa. Ayo Ogunsina (fondly known as Papalolo), Faniyi Ifadare Eleripin, Baba Tunde Odunlade (renowned print and textile artist), veteran radio presenter Omisope Olaniyi, Akintola Omobolaji Florence, Bakare Saheed Olawale (jagunmolu èdè), and Adeyemo Ibrahim Ọjọ́, among others. Certificate of participation, and gift items were awarded to the storytellers. The participants have now joined our community as members.
The inclusion of Yoruba oral traditions in Wikimedia projects contributes to diversifying the knowledge on Wikimedia projects. This inclusive approach helps address biases and representation gaps, promoting a more comprehensive portrayal of global cultures. As valuable educational resources, Yoruba oral traditions offer insights into traditional wisdom, moral lessons, and historical events. Integrating this wealth of knowledge into Wikimedia platforms can play a role in raising awareness about Yoruba culture and history on a global scale, fostering cross-cultural understanding.
This is the first storytelling event in Nigeria, and we hope to improve on it next year using our learning from this maiden edition as well as the feedback collected from the participants.
The storytelling event received significant attention in the media and has been widely covered by national dailies. Some of which are listed below.
- Yoruba ‘Wikimedians’ host first storytelling event in Nigeria - Business Day Newspaper
- Yoruba Wikimedians Launch Annual Storytelling Event in Ibadan - Daily Independent Newspaper
- Yoruba Wikimedians launch annual storytelling event in Ibadan - The Nation Newspaper
Launching of Yoruba oral traditions
On February 10, 2024, the launch of the Yoruba oral traditions audiovisuals took place at La Regial Airport Hotel in Lagos. The event included a press conference introducing 40 high-quality audiovisuals.
Several media organizations attended the event, such as TVC News, Silverbird TV, the News Agency of Nigeria, Business Day, and Daily Independent Newspapers. The press conference also welcomed the presence of the audiovisuals' producer, Tunde Oladimeji, and veteran actor Raphael Niyi, adding a touch of experience to the occasion.
Executive members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, led by the President, were actively involved, along with other members of the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. The event served as a platform for the presentation and discussion of the newly launched Yoruba oral traditions audiovisuals, contributing to the broader conversation surrounding cultural preservation and dissemination.
It was broadcasted by the television stations and published by the newspaper. The materials were produced through collaboration with local storytellers, historians, and cultural experts and highlights the diverse and vibrant aspects of Yoruba culture and heritage. The inclusion of Yoruba oral traditions in Wikimedia projects is a step towards diversifying knowledge and addressing biases and representation gaps.
Like the storytelling event, the launching of the Yoruba oral tradition audiovisuals received significant attention in the media. Some of which are listed below.
- Yoruba Wikimedians User Group unveils 40 audiovisuals of Yoruba oral traditions - Business Day Newspaper
- Group Unveils 40 Audiovisuals Of Yoruba Oral Traditions - Daily Independent
- Group Unveils Yoruba Oral Traditional Audiovisual Documentation -Voice of Nigeria
The Yoruba Oral Tradition Project is a project designed and implemented by the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group to document, and preserve Yoruba oral traditions. The project started last year with the recording of 20 indigenous vocations of the Yoruba people and this project is one of the project runs for the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. The Yoruba gods and deities produced would be donated to academic institutions and cultural institutions where they are most needed. They would all be uploaded to Internet Archive and the Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia articles.
Yoruba orthography standardization
In a concerted effort to facilitate a seamless implementation of the New National Language Policy in Yoruba Studies, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group collaborated with the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture (Yoruba World Centre) and the DAWN Commission. The primary focus of this collaborative effort was the organization of an international conference centered on the Standardization of the Yoruba language orthography. Recognizing the existing non-uniformity in the current Yoruba orthography, the imperative to harmonize it became apparent.
This harmonization serves the dual purpose of aligning with contemporary linguistic realities and laying the groundwork for advocating the Federal/ State governments to implement the new language policy. The Yoruba World Centre, in partnership with the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group and the DAWN Commission, took proactive steps to engage stakeholders in the standardization of Yoruba Orthography. A 5-member Supervisory Committee, under the leadership of Pa Alao Adedayo, the publisher of Alaroye – the first Yoruba newspaper globally – was established. Other members of the committee included Prof. S.A Oyetade, Prof. Duro Adeleke, Dr. A.A Faleye (Ph.D), Dr. S.A Fajenyo (Ph.D), and Dr. Omowunmi Faleye (Ph.D). Additionally, a 35-member committee comprising professionals from academia, Yoruba publishers, theatre practitioners, ministry of education and media experts was formed to constitute the Yoruba orthography committee. The committee is chaired by Professor Temitope Olumuyiwa, a professor of linguistics and the President of the Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria (YSAN).
The official inauguration of the committee took place on the 20th of February, 2024, at John Paul II Hall, University of Ibadan. The committee was inaugurated by the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Mrs. Naimot Salako-Oyedele. The event garnered the presence of renowned linguists. 92-year-old Emeritus Professor Ayo Bangbose, the first Nigerian Professor of linguistics and the sole surviving member of the 1966 and 1974 Yoruba orthography committee that established the current Yoruba orthography gave the keynote address.
The last officially recognised Yoruba orthography was approved in June 1974, and this brought out the standard of writing in the language, which is still in use to this day. Whereas, as early as 1977, major users of the language, especially members of Ẹgbẹ́ Akọ́mọlédè, had started to complain about the errors noticed in the efforts of the compilers and the government. That started the confusion that today continues to hamper the uniformity in the writing of Yorùbá, as there are some words in the language that have up to three or more forms of spelling.
In the case of ‘what?’ in Yoruba, while some write ‘kíni?’, or ‘kí ni?’, others write ‘kínni?’, or ‘kín ni?’, arguing that ‘kí’ does not represent a nasal ound. ‘First’ in the language also has many varieties by writers: ‘kìní’, ‘kìíní’, ‘kínní’, ‘kìn-ín-ní’, and every user has reason or reasons for their choice. Is it ‘lónì’, or ‘lónìí’, or ‘lónì-í n’, ‘lónìín’, for ‘today’? The same goes for others like ‘lọ́hùn’, ‘lọ́hùún’ and ‘lọ́hùn-ún’, for ‘there’; ‘lánà’, ‘lánàá’, ‘lánàán’ and ‘lánà-án’, for ‘yesterday’; ‘òun’, ‘òhun’ and ‘òn’ for ‘thing’; ‘oúnjẹ’ and ‘ońjẹ’ for ‘food’; ‘eléyìí’ and ‘eléyì’ for ‘this’; ‘fẹ́ẹ́ ṣe’, ‘fẹ́ ẹ́ ṣe’, ‘fẹ́ ṣe’ for ‘want to do’; ‘ṣeé ṣe’, ṣe é ṣe’, ‘ṣé ṣe’; for ‘can be done’; ‘ṣòro ṣe’, ‘ṣòroó ṣe’, ‘ṣòro ó ṣe’ for ‘difficult to do’; ‘tẹ̀ síwájú’, or ‘tẹ̀síwájú’ for ‘move forward’; ‘fọwọ́ sowọ́ pọ̀’, fọwọ́sowọ́ pọ̀’ fọwọ́ sowọ́pọ̀’ and fọwọ́sowọ́pọ̀ for ‘co operate’, and so many others that users of Yoruba write differently.
Indeed, these are confusions for writers, teachers, learners and users of the language. Now that languages of the world are being digitized, and Yorùbá is not left out, and there is now a New Language Policy, it is high time we revisited the orthography for our language to compete with other languages of the world. And this is the raison d’etre for this project.
The standardisation of Yoruba orthography would have a profound impact on the quality of contents on Yoruba Wikipedia and make it easier to develop tools to support the growth and development of Yoruba Wikipedia now that its readership has increased. In 2023, Yoruba Wikipedia recorded 25 million visitors.
International Mother Language Day 2024
In the spirit of promoting linguistic and cultural diversity, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group collaborated with the International Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture and the DAWN Commission to organize the inaugural joint celebration of International Mother Language Day 2024. The event, held at the University of Ibadan, brought together a diverse audience comprising university lecturers, media experts, authors, publishers, and enthusiasts and learners of the Yoruba language.
The event was chaired by the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, represented by Rasak Ojo Bakare, the first professor of choreography and performing aesthetics from Nigeria and the commissioner for art, culture, and tourism in Ekiti State. Notable attendees included Arc. Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, delivering the keynote address, and Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, as the royal father of the day. The celebration featured quiz competitions for university students, college students, and secondary school students, with prizes awarded to the winners.
Participants came from all states in southwestern Nigeria, including Kogi and Kwara States. Cultural performances by participants and invited cultural groups added a vibrant flair to the occasion. As part of our commitment to sustaining this initiative, a organizing committee have been established to oversee and manage the 2025 edition of the International Mother Language Day . The orthography committee's progress report is slated for presentation on the 2025 International Mother Language Day, accompanied by a book and art exhibition at the next celebration. The event garnered extensive coverage across various media platforms, including television and newspapers such as Daily Independent and The Guardian Newspapers. This heightened visibility not only magnified the celebration's impact but also provided an avenue for networking with academia.
One of the significant outcomes of the event was the establishment of connections with academia, many of whom expressed eagerness to collaborate with the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group. Plans are in place to engage these academics in training Yoruba language students on contributing to the Yoruba Wikipedia. This strategic initiative aims to recruit native speakers, including teachers, authors, and students of the Yoruba language.