Chairperson House Committee on Diaspora Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe gives Goodwill Message at Literacy Round Table Discussion- "Literacy And Multilingualism: A Bedrock For Sustainable Development"

Saturday, 18th January 2020.

Mrs. Omoshalewa Aofiyebi giving the goodwill remarks of HON. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe k at the Literacy Round Table Discussion organised by the National Commission For Mass Literacy, Adult And Non-Formal Education Abuja.

Hon. Sadipe apologised for her absence at the round table discussion and was well represented by her SLA Mrs. Omoshalewa Aofiyebi and LA Mr. Lekan Olusada. She started by Commending the leadership of the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literary, Adult & Non-Formal Education in its relentless pursuit of productive education to Nigerians not captured by the mainstream early schooling platform.

"No doubt, this round table is an idea whose time is NOW! It is about time; Nigeria harnesses the rich potentials and resources that abound in its multilingualism for national development.
According to Peter Trudgill, a sociolinguist, academic and author (1983), Multilingualism is a sociolinguistic phenomenon that arises as a result of the existence of several dissimilar languages within a language community."

HON. Sadipe in her speech suggested to the commission to utilize the opportunity of this round-table discussion to proffer lasting reforms by the inclusion of local languages alongside the official language. "Encouraging indigenous languages will spur sense of belonging and unity as well as increase the enrollment of the targeted group, while enabling the beneficiaries the ability to contribute their quota to enhance productivity to the national economy". And in the immediate long run this will cause the needed sustainable national development.

The Chairperson House Committee on Diaspora, HON. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe also used the medium to assure the commission that the 9th Assembly under its current leadership would provide legislative collaboration in formulating policy that would further enhance their goals through legislation "I wish to convey the goodwill of Rt. Hon. Speaker, House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila and the committee on Diaspora towards this round-table discussion. On behalf of the committee and indeed the members of the House of Representatives, I wish to assure all stakeholders of the readiness of 9th Assembly to partner with the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult & Non-Formal Education in formulating polices that will help actualize its noble goals through legislation."

Lekan Olusada
LA to the Chairperson House Committee on Diaspora
(Media & Publicity)