There have been viral claims online that the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has made Yoruba Language a compulsory course of study for undergraduate students.

FIJ monitored how the claim appeared on several blogs here and there. An open-source search on X/Twitter revealed that netizens wrote about this subject and circulated it widely on social media.

For instance, an X user (@adeosunm) shared the claim on his handle in the wee hours of Friday. That post had amassed over 19,000 views, 280 likes and 100 reposts as of Saturday morning.

On Facebook, Luwas Man posted the claim in a group with more than 54,000 members. Since Friday, the post has generated over 285 likes and 35 likes. FIJ discovered that the same content was shared on a plethora of other groups with controversies trailing it.

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CLAIM: Lagos State University has started Yoruba Language as a compulsory course for students.

VERIFICATION: FIJ spoke with a number of students in the school who confirmed it positively.

Gbadebo Mary Moshope, a 100-level student of Mass Communication, told FIJ that it is true that the university has made Yoruba a compulsory course for them.

“Yes, we offer it as GNS 104 Use of Yoruba. I have even attended the first lecture,” she said. FIJ asked Mary to share the notes with this newspaper.

FIJ also obtained a WhatsApp message where a class representative provided his mates with the details of the lecture on Wednesday morning. Another student, Okugbesan Iyinoluwa Oluwatomisin, told FIJ that it was true.

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When contacted, Ganiu Bamigbose, a well-known lecturer of English Language at LASU, told FIJ in an interview that the school had truly decided to start compulsory Yoruba Language coursework for her students.

FIJ found a WhatsApp message shared by Hassan Sulyman, Sub Dean, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, to announce the commencement of the course for staff and students.

“My Director, good evening Sirs and Mas. GNS 104 Use of Yorùbá commences tomorrow at 8 am. Kindly share on all your group and faculty platforms for wider coverage. Thank you very much and God bless you all,” the message read.

CONCLUSION: When FIJ examined the claim, available evidence from our checks showed that the new students at Lagos State University (LASU) have started offering Yoruba Language as a compulsory course.

VERDICT: The claim that LASU has made Yoruba Language compulsory for students is true.