The Yoruba Broadcasters Association has urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to pass legislation requiring all radio and television stations operating in the state to air regular Yoruba-language programmes.
According to The Punch, the association also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant at least one major nationwide interview in the Yoruba language.
According to a statement obtained by PUNCH Online on Thursday, the association’s National President, Adefunso Ademigbuji, made the appeal during a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, expressing concern over what he described as the steady decline of Yoruba-language content on many recently established broadcast stations.
Ademigbuji, who also serves as Chairman of the association’s Implementation Committee and is a presenter with Melody 107.7 FM, said the Yoruba Broadcasters Association was established in 2011 and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission to promote and preserve Yoruba language and culture through broadcasting.
He said, “We are deeply concerned about the gradual decline of Yoruba-language programming on broadcast stations operating in Lagos.”
Highlighting Lagos’ cultural significance, Ademigbuji said the state remained a major stronghold of the Yoruba language.
“Lagos State is predominantly a Yoruba-speaking environment. It is a major centre of Yoruba history, culture, commerce, creativity and intellectual development,” he said.
He acknowledged that long-standing broadcasters such as Raypower FM and African Independent Television had consistently maintained Yoruba-language programming, unlike many newer stations.
“However, the reality today is that many newer radio and television stations operating in Lagos do not have a single regular Yoruba programme,” he said.
Warning about the future of the language, Ademigbuji said deliberate action was needed to prevent its gradual erosion.
“A language does not disappear in one day.It disappears gradually—when it is no longer spoken at home, taught in schools, heard on radio, seen on television or considered relevant in public life,” he said.
He maintained that broadcasters have a cultural responsibility beyond commercial interests.
“Broadcast stations do not merely sell airtime. They shape society. They influence the way people think, speak, behave and understand their environment,” he said.
Ademigbuji added that Yoruba-language broadcasting could remain relevant and commercially successful if presented innovatively.
“Yoruba broadcasting does not have to be old-fashioned. It can be modern, creative, digital and commercially attractive,” he said.
Speaking on the request directed at the President, he stressed that the proposal was intended to promote inclusion rather than exclude other languages.
“We therefore appeal to Mr President to grant at least one major national interview in the Yoruba language,” he said, adding, “This appeal is not about ethnic exclusion. It is about inclusion.”
He also called on the Lagos State Government to adopt a policy framework that would strengthen the use of Yoruba in broadcasting, education, culture and public communication.
“Lagos can be a global city and still remain proudly connected to its Yoruba heritage,” he said.
Ademigbuji disclosed that the association, in collaboration with cultural and advocacy groups under the All Yoruba Presenters United For Action platform, would submit a petition to the Lagos Assembly seeking legislation on the matter.
According to him, the proposed law would make Yoruba-language programming compulsory for broadcast stations in Lagos, prescribe minimum standards for the duration and quality of such content, and establish a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance.
He warned that the absence of Yoruba content on many new stations threatened the language’s future.
“This development poses a serious threat to the survival and continued relevance of the language, particularly among younger generations,” he said.
He clarified that the campaign was not aimed at replacing English or marginalising other Nigerian languages.
“We are not calling for the cancellation of English-language programming. We are not calling for the exclusion of other Nigerian languages. We are calling for balance, inclusion and cultural responsibility,” he said.
Ademigbuji further argued that protecting Yoruba broadcasting would create opportunities within the creative industry.
“This is therefore not only a cultural issue. It is also an issue of employment, creative enterprise, economic opportunity and the preservation of Lagos’ identity,” he said.
To underscore its commitment to the campaign, the association conducted its post-conference question-and-answer session entirely in Yoruba, while interpreters assisted journalists who were not fluent in the language.
“We are not merely talking about Yoruba. We are living it,” Ademigbuji said.
