Renowned Ghanaian musician, Michael Adangba, has donated 260 Kasem language books to schools in the Kassena-Nankana Municipal and Kassena-Nankana West District in the Upper East region as part of efforts to revive and strengthen the teaching and learning of the Kasem language.
The gesture, he said, is aimed at preserving the culture, identity, and linguistic heritage of the Kasena people.
Out of the total number of books, 148 were allocated to schools in the Kassena-Nankana Municipal, while 112 went to the Kassena-Nankana West District.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Adangba, himself a proud Kasena whose music widely features the Kasem language, expressed concern over the gradual erosion of local languages among the youth. He said many young people now prefer to “slang” or distort their mother tongue in an attempt to appear modern, a trend he believes threatens the survival of indigenous languages.
“Our people don’t want to speak purely Kasem or Nankan. We have a lot of languages here [Upper East region], but then you can see somebody wants to slang it, make it, I don’t know, feel like modern. That is not the right way to go about it”, he lamented.
He emphasized the need for communities to emulate tribes such as the Asante, where people strongly promote and take pride in their language.
“English is not our language. We learned it. So why are we shy to speak Kasem? Our language must be learned in school, and that is why I am supporting this initiative.”
Adangba urged musicians, youth, and community members to take pride in their mother tongue and use modern platforms, including social media, to promote indigenous languages rather than sideline them. He hinted at learning other local languages and possibly incorporating themes of cultural preservation into future songs.
The donated books titled “Kasena Nabaara Kikia” were written by Joseph Aloa Nabaarese, who said the work was inspired by the need to reconnect young people with their cultural roots. He bemoaned the decline in the use of local languages in homes and schools, despite Ghana’s language policy, which mandates the use of Ghanaian languages from kindergarten to Basic 3.
“The teaching of our mother tongue is dying out. Learners are not doing well, and teachers say they lack resources. So, this donation is timely,” he said.
The book focuses on Kasena customs, institutions, marriage traditions, folklore, funerals, and chieftaincy systems. It is designed for JHS, SHS, and tertiary-level learners, with the aim of improving both literacy and cultural awareness.
The Kassena-Nankana Municipal Director of Education, Thomas Kanlisi, welcomed the donation, describing it as a major boost to the implementation of the Ghanaian language policy.
“Kasem is an examinable subject. These books will support teachers and enhance students’ interest in learning the language,” he said.
He disclosed that a special committee has been set up to ensure that schools use the books effectively. Heads of schools who fail to put the materials to use, he warned, risk sanctions.
In the Kassena-Nankana West District, District Director of Education, Mary-Magdalene Wompakeah, also commended Adangba for the intervention, noting that the absence of textbooks had been a major barrier to effective teaching.
“There were no textbooks at all. Teachers relied only on what they learned in college. These books will now guide lesson preparation and improve classroom delivery,” she stated.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Navrongo
