Linguist, writer, and scholar, Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún, has convened an online symposium aimed at advancing Yorúbà literacy in the 21st century.

In his recent essay,”Writing Africa’s Future in New Characters,” Túbọ̀sún points out that only a small portion of modern fonts are programmed with the necessary diacritics to accommodate Nigerian languages. This lack of proper print representation creates ambiguity across Yoruba texts, particularly in digital spaces.

To address this ambiguity and create more meaningful content for Yorúbà speakers, Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún has partnered with the British Library, Africa Writes, and the Lagos Studies Association to organize a symposium for Yoruba speakers, scholars, and cultural innovators to join minds on the issue.

Click here to register!

PROGRAM DETAILS

 

How Should We Write Yorùbá?

A Two-session Online Symposium on Yorùbá Orthography in the 21st century

(Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 September 2020, 15.00-17.00 West African and UK time)

The event brings together experts in the field to share their experience and thoughts. There will be plenty of time to discuss issues raised by our panels as well as by audience members, who we hope will come from all around the world.

The conversation will be of interest to anyone interested in Yorùbá, writing in any tonal language that uses diacritics, publishing, code-switching, language scripts, language evolution, and challenges in African language writing in the 21st century in general.

Day 1: Yorùbá: From Mission Field to Web Page

Wednesday 2 September, 15.00-17.00 West African/UK time

Day 2: Using Yorùbá Today: Literature, Leisure and the Academy

Thursday 3 September, 15.00-17.00 West African/UK time

Confirmed Speakers

Host: Dr. Marion Wallace, Lead Curator, Africa, at the British Library

● Professor Adélékè Adéẹ̀kọ́, Humanities Distinguished Professor, Ohio State University

● Dr Túndé Adegbọlá, Human Language Technologist, and Executive Director, African Languages Technology Initiative

● Mosúnmọ́lá Adéọjọ, doctoral student and Writing Instructor at the University of Florida

● Àrẹ̀mú Adéọlá, the Yorùbá scrabble inventor

● Professor Karin Barber (CBE), cultural anthropologist and academic; currently London School of Economics Centennial Professor

● Dr Carli Coetzee, editor of the Journal of African Cultural Studies and Research Associate, African Studies Centre, University of Oxford

● Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún, Nigerian linguist, creative writer and currently a Chevening British Library Fellow working in the Asian and African Collections

● Mọlará Wood, writer, cultural activist and critic

Click here to register!