Reasons why we are learning African languages now.
By: Ayekoo Afrique
Tags: Nigeria, Africa, Ghana, African Languages, Morocco

Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash

“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa” –John Hemingway.

Whenever one talks about African tourism, there are silly questions like “What am I visiting Africa for?” “Why visit a place where my £4 donations go to every month?”, “Why go see animals in Africa when I can see them in the zoo?”

Those presumptions are abundant in the heart of those with little or no knowledge about Africa. Visiting Africa gives birth to an experience that has no price tag. You can neither buy it in a zoo, nor can you imagine it in your mind because the lifestyle on the continent is unique to its inhabitants.

While it should be a mandatory ‘once in a lifetime’ visit for others, it should be an annual pilgrimage for our African brothers across the globe.

So why visit Africa?

Kakum National Park, Ghana. Photo by Hello Lightbulb on Unsplash

“For as long as I can remember, I have been passionately intrigued by ‘Africa,’ by the word itself, by its flora and fauna, its topographical diversity and grandeur; but above all else, by the sheer variety of the colors of its people, from tan and sepia to jet and ebony.” – Henry Louis Gates (Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University).

Far from what you are always shown on the TV, Africa also provides comfort and an exclusivity not found in other continents. Annually, hundreds and thousands of worshippers return back to offer thanksgiving to various deities. In Nigeria, tonnes of Ifa worshippers return back to the practice seek the help of the divination which is said to have wisdom not found in any other place in the world. Aside that, you get to enjoy splendid views exclusive to only Africa.

Photo by Dea Andre on Unsplash

The Pyramids in Egypt and Sudan.

The snow capped Kilimanjaro mountain, the highest point in Tanzania and Africa.

The mountainous kingdom of Lesotho.

The Victoria fall in Zimbabwe.

The Victoria fall in Zimbabwe. Photo by paul milley on Unsplash

The Giraffe manor and spree Safari in Kenya.

The large rain forests in Congo and Gabon.

The point where the ocean meets the desert both in Namibia and Angola and also the desert dunes.

The slave forts and castles in Ghana.

The largest street party and carnival in Calabar, Nigeria.

The table mountain in South Africa.

Okvango Delta in Botswana.

The Sahara dunes in Morocco.

The Avenue Baobabs in Madagascar.

The Hogger mountains in Algeria.

“It’s really beautiful. It feels like God visits everywhere else but lives in Africa.” — Will Smith (American actor and producer)

How do I communicate in Africa?

The top three international language in Africa is English, French, and Portuguese. Communicating in Africa is quite easy, you get to search about the country you hope to visit and what language they speak. The Anglophone countries were colonized by Britain so they speak English, the Francophone countries were colonized by France and Belgium so they speak French, the Busophone countries were colonized by Portugal so they speak Portuguese…

However, those are the Official languages, used for business and education.

To truly enjoy the African experience, you must be able to establish a relationship with Africans in order to feel the proud demonstration of our culture. And as said by the Cofounder of Ayekoo Afrique, Ore Adesina, in the debut episode of the Ayekoo Afrique Podcast, “Our language is our tradition and our tradition is our language”. The language and culture go hand in hand.

Photo by Shutterbouy Photography on Unsplash

A Yoruba man doesn’t speak a foreign language when he wants to dance or greet people unofficially (which are both crucial attributes of the Yoruba culture), he speaks Yoruba. And so to connect with him on a personal level, a basic understanding of his language is required.

Yoruba is a language spoken by 50 million Nigerians, so there’s no way you can get the best out of southwestern Nigeria without being able to say “Ẹkaarọ”.

The same applies to all West African Anglophone countries in which Pidgin English is also an essential language in general communication with locals.

In some North African countries, Arabic is also a backup. In East African countries, Swahili is a goal. In Southern Africa, a Bantu/Nguni language is essential aside English.

“The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa — for he has so much to look forward to.” – Richard Mullin (Author)

So when are you visiting?

Interested in learning any language in the North of Africa, East Africa, or the South? Request a language today here at Ayekoo Afrique

Written by Joshua Ufedo Baba (Staff writer, ayekooafrique.com)