The “Brain Trust” (Èdè wa ni – Ẹ Gbe L’árugẹ), a Yoruba socio-cultural group, has reaffirmed its commitment to revitalising the Yoruba language and preserving its cultural heritage.

A statement on Sunday by Olushola Macaulay, director of the project, said the commitment was made during the group’s inaugural meeting on Saturday.

Mr Macaulay said the meeting recorded strong commitments from distinguished personalities, leaders, scholars and advocates.

He said members pledged to deploy their expertise, influence and resources to ensure the success of the initiative.

“Today marks a turning point in our collective effort to preserve the Yoruba language and the rich cultural heritage it embodies,” he said.

Mr Macaulay added that the passion and strategic vision shown by members had exceeded expectations.

He said the Brain Trust would leverage its collective influence to engage traditional rulers, political leaders, business moguls and cultural icons across Yorubaland.

“This strategic approach aims to create a groundswell of support that becomes a pan-Yoruba movement,” he said.

The statement also quoted Sharon Omotoso, a member of the group, as saying that the success of the initiative required the active participation of cultural leaders.

“Our commitment is to open doors at the highest levels of Yoruba society to ensure that the project receives the recognition and support it deserves,” she said.

Mr Macaulay said the meeting also marked a major milestone with the approval of the official logo and brand identity for the Yoruba Language Preservation Project.

He said the logo, which features the talking drum, cock and a book, was unanimously endorsed as a symbol of the project’s mission.

Paul Emokhare, a member of the group and media expert, said the logo captured the essence of Yoruba heritage while pointing toward the future.

Also, AnikeadeFunke Treasure-Akintoye, a prominent media personality, pledged to use her media connections to promote the project across traditional and digital platforms.

“I am fully committed to using every media resource at my disposal to amplify this critical initiative,” she said.

“This is not just a project; it is a movement that requires visibility, engagement and sustained public conversation,” she added.

Similarly, Babatunde Tiamiyu, general manager of Pensioners’ 106.7 FM, said the initiative was the most comprehensive effort to preserve the Yoruba language in a generation.

The Yoruba Language Preservation Project (Èdè wa ni – Ẹ Gbe L’árugẹ) aims to revitalise and safeguard the Yoruba language and cultural heritage among adolescents aged 15 to 18.

It adopts a reality show-inspired format that engages youths from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, and parts of Kogi, Kwara and Edo States in language learning and cultural activities.

According to the statement, the project combines education, cultural immersion, mentorship and media coverage to raise public awareness about the importance of language preservation.

(NAN)