Dele Farotimi, a lawyer and former spokesperson for the Obi/Datti presidential campaign council, recently shared a thought-provoking perspective in a video on his Facebook page. He discussed the evolution of language and pointed out the absence of specific words for "corruption" in the Yoruba or Igbo languages.
Farotimi highlighted how, despite efforts to describe the concept, the native cultures did not anticipate the extent of corruption present in the country today.
This insight stresses how languages are influenced by historical and cultural backgrounds, sometimes resulting in gaps in vocabulary for new phenomena like the prevalent corruption in today's society.
Farotimi's comments reveal how language mirrors societal changes and the complexities of grappling with ideas that previous generations did not anticipate.
Dele Farotimi said, "I dare say there is no Yoruba or Igbo word for corruption, you might begin to describe it but nothing in our cultures prepared us for what we are witnessing today. Language is evolutionary, the Yoruba culture never expected what we are seeing in our country today".
Video link below: (start at 17:25)
https://youtu.be/mOsBW3HYsUE?si=N-8rprSL_uQotKyb