He has, therefore, suggested that those teaching and
instructing students should not shy away from raising their level of competence
in the language.
Osoba stated this while delivering the 94th inaugural
lecture of the university titled, “What God has brought together… Language and
literature at the altar of stylistics”.
With English as the language of instruction, Osoba suggested
that universities should embark on what he called English for Academic Staff
training, as the quality of memos, letters and releases from organisations
determines the impression people would have of such organisations.
“When we talk of the falling standard of education, it is
not really that educational standards are falling like the Nigerian Naira.
Rather, the standard of education is really increasing with with amazing
knowledge, especially in science and technology.
“What is really happening is the lowering standard of
communicative competence in English. It is hereby suggested that the Department
of English not only provide services to students, but also to staff.”
He recalled that some years ago, the Department of English
in the university went to town to help train civil servants in Lagos State, and
“the quality of the use of English by participants was enhanced.”
On whether there are differences between language and
literature, Osoba posited that they were two different sides of the same coin.
“Both language and literature are products of and for
society and need each other, not only to function but to thrive. Language is
the prime tool of literature.
“Put in another way, literature is indisputably, creative
use of language. Thus, literature is in language and language is in literature.
“Literature in the specialized sense is commonly refereed to
as the ‘work of the creative imagination including poetry, drama and fiction in
which the use of special devices such as metaphor, simile, oxymoron, pun
heighten the communication and aesthetic effect.
“Literature in this sense is a creative reflection or
refraction of life and has three main genres: prose, poetry and drama.”
Osoba, who has carried out an extensive stylistic analyses
on Prof. Niyi Osundare’s works, among others, described Osundare’s works as
readable and accessible to a wide gamut of audience.
“Whichever way the debate goes, my stand is that Osundare’s
poetry is largely accessible.
“Anyone who has obtained an SSCE or GCE O/L pass in English
Language can read and understand his poems without the intervention of a
‘midwife’,” he noted.