University Daily Kansan, April 16, 1981
Page 9
Nigerian compiles dictionary
ByCORAL BEACH
Staff Reporter
For most people a dictionary is just a convenient tool, not a book with an author. Dictionaries do indeed have authors, and through first-hand experience Rebecca Agyhelya discovered that it takes a great deal of time and hard work to compile one of those handy definition books.
Agyheyt, chairman of the linguistics department at the University of Benin, Nigeria, has been working on a dictionary and on grammar for her native language. Edo, during her sabbatical year at the University of Kansas.
Her work is part of a program established by the Nigerian government five years ago. The goal of the program is to eventually make it possible to introduce primary school children in their mother tongues.
This will be quite an accomplishment because there are an estimated 200 to 400 native Nigerian languages; about 100 have now been dictionary and grammars.
"What is uniquely Nigerian is going to be lost unless we resuscitate the languages and preserve them for use in modern life," Agheysi said.
ENGLISH, THE OFFICIAL language of Nigeria, is taught in all of the secondary schools. Aghesi said that most of the professional fields and all governmental positions required proficiency in English.
She said English was therefore the only language associated with success and that many of the Nigerian people did not understand the importance of
Rebecca Aghevisi
teaching their children native Nigerian languages.
"The motivation behind education for them is first and foremost economic," she said. "Unless the system is changed and proficiency in something other than reading will be lost, many Nigerian languages will continue to be ignored and soon disappear."
AGHEYISEY SAID THAT about half of the 80 million Nigerians in the country's 19 states spoke one of three major languages. In an attempt to preserve these languages and encourage the people to learn at least two of these languages, the Nigerian government passed legislation allowing the languages to be used in the National Assembly. Before this constitutional amendment, only English could be used in official government business.
"Since only between 10 and 20 percent of the Nigerian people attend secondary schools, the number of people eligible to participate in the Assembly was severely limited. Ideally, all Nigerians ought to be able to aspire to membership in the Assembly," Agheyisi said.
"Frankly the reception of this legislation was very well received by most people. For a long time, the language situation was just ignored because the speakers of these three languages represent opposing forces in the country. There haven't been any problems with that though."
EVEN THOUGH only 10 to 20 percent of the population is considered to be literate, Agyesiii said that a larger percentage of the people could probably read and write a little. She also said that there was a great emphasis on continuing education and improving the literacy rate.
"There are continuing education centers in almost all parts of the country, both official government ones and unofficial community-sponsored ones. When the dictionary and encyclopedia are completed there will be an effort to teach the older people in addition to the children," she said.
Aghyehi is said that her work on the Edo dictionary should be completed by next fall when she returns to Nigeria. She said that she came to the University partly because of the availability of essential materials.
"I was most anxious to work out a productive routine using publications in the KU library," she said. "I have found so many useful publications that can be easily obtained that I am having difficulty coping with the volume."
By PENNI CRABTREE Staff Reporter
The controversy over peye use in Native Americans religious rituals, which resulted last summer in a clash between Attorney General Stephen and members of the Kansas Church, may soon be resolved.
According to a spokesman for the Native American Church, a religious group that uses pyrotee as a sacrament in its rituals, a bill that would exempt church members from being billed soon be signed by Gov. John Carlin.
Peyote approval expected
"We've received a lot of support and help from the attorney general and from legislators in getting this bill passed," Orlando Green, center for the Brown County chapter, American Church, said yesterday.
"The bill passed through the Senate and House Judiciary committees with no problems, and we expect that Carlin will sign it."
GREEN, WHO PARTICIPATED in a panel discussion sponsored by the KU Office of Minority Affairs yesterday in the Kansas Union, said that the controversy began when the Kickapoo reservation, located at Horton, attempted to form a chapter of the Native American Church.
When the church applied for a charter in Topeka, Green said, they were that payote was a federally owned prison, illegal in the state of Kansas.
At one point, Green said, Stephan threatened to arrest church members if they continued to use the drug.
"We had used pepote for years in our rituals, with no complaints from the government," Green said. "Suddenly, someone forced the issue on the attorney general and he had to act on it.
"Technically, I suppose, we were always operating outside the law, but no one seemed to mind."
UNDER AN ADMINISTRATIVE exemption issued by the U.S.
Department of Justice, Native American Church members are allowed to use payee in their addresses, another panel membersaid.
"It's on the state level that we run into conflicts," F. Browning Pipestem, a professor of Indian law at the University of Oklahoma, said.
"Basically, it's an issue of religious freedom, an issue of "Is your religion just like mine, and if it's not, can't stand yours."
According to Pipestem, a primary concern of both the state and the Native American Church is to restrict the exemption from the statute restriction.
"Both groups want to make sure that peye is used only by those involved in a legitimate, spiritual ritual," Pipestem said. "It is those people who use the drug for non-religious purposes that have caused the Native American Church such problems."
An audience of 25 people attended the discussion.
Wescoe fire false alarm
Three fire engines responded to a call about 1 p.m. yesterday from someone who said he smelled smoke in Wescoe Hall.
Team up with Sagamore Way for that winning Spring look . . .
Firemen searched the building but did not find a fire or the source of the odor.
the VILLAGE SET
822 Massachusetts
GOLF
Closest to the Pin
Entry deadline: Thursday, April 16 5:00 p.m. 208 Robinson
Play begins on Saturday, April 18 10:00 a.m. Field east of Robinson
For more information contact Recreation Services at 864-3546
SENIORS! CLASS of'81 T·SHIRTS
Available at:
- BOCO OFFICE, Kansas Union
- FAREWELL TO BARS Parties
- CALL: 841-9267 or 841-5923
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500 with out card.
99
YOUR LAST 2 YEARS OF COLLEGE COULD BE YOUR FIRST 2 YEARS OF MANAGEMENT.
The Army ROTC 2-year program trains you to become an officer for a modern organization — today's Army — which also includes the Army Reserve and Army National Guard.
An officer who is not only a leader of men,but a manager of money and materials as well.
That's why one of the things you'll learn in our 2-year program is management training skills.
You'll earn over $400 for attending Basic Camp. And up to $1,000 for each of your last 2 years of college.
But the most rewarding part is you'll graduate with both a college degree and a commission. And become a member of the Army management team.
Your training will start the summer after your sophomore year by attending a six-week Army ROTC Basic Camp.
For more information. Contact
Captain William Taylor,
Army ROTC,
Kansas University.
864-3311/3312
ARMY ROTC.
LEARN WHAT
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BRETT PETERSON MEMORIAL BOXING TOURNEY
SPONSORED BY ALPHA TAU OMEGA and KC - GOLDEN GLOVES for American Cancer Society
THE FLYING "M" RANCH (FORMERLY ROCK CHALK RANCH)
APRIL 21, 22, 23
$1.00 ADMISSION/$3.00 ALL YOU CAN DRINK
There will be seven weight classes:
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Address
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Please return this form, with check payable to Alpha Tau Omega, to Bob Caffarelli. Any Questions, 749-2169 or 843-4811 at ATO