Acceptance Speech as President of the African Language Teachers Association (ALTA)
E kaale o! Sanibonani! Nnọọ! As-salaam alaykum.

Distinguished colleagues, elders, friends, and fellow champions of African languages,

I stand before you today with deep gratitude and humility as I accept the honor of serving as President of the African Language Teachers Association.

To be entrusted with this responsibility is no small matter. I extend heartfelt thanks to the members of ALTA, the executive board, that we will be working together (Madam Vice president, Victor Alabi-the secretary, the treasurer), past presidents, and all those whose visionary leadership has brought this association to where it is today. I am especially grateful for the confidence you have placed in me, and I do not take this role lightly.

As African language teachers, we do more than teach vocabulary and grammar—we hold, protect, and pass on the wisdom of generations. Each tone, each proverb, each oral narrative we preserve is an act of resistance and an affirmation of the enduring power of African thought, culture, and identity.

We know the challenges that lie ahead. We teach in a world that too often sidelines indigenous languages in favor of global ones. We work in institutions that sometimes view African languages as supplemental rather than foundational. But we also know this: our work is essential. And we are not alone.

Together, we will continue to:

• Advocate for increased recognition of African languages in education and policy,
• Support teacher training and curriculum development that is culturally grounded,
• Create space for African languages in digital media and emerging technologies,
• Build intergenerational bridges between our classrooms and our communities.

Let us move forward with the knowledge that African languages are not relics of the past. They are languages of the future—languages of innovation, healing, governance, literature, and belonging.

In the words of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, “To starve or kill a language is to starve and kill a people’s memory bank.” Let us, therefore, be keepers of memory and makers of legacy.

As your president, I promise to serve with integrity, to listen deeply, and to lead collaboratively. May we continue to strengthen our bonds, celebrate our diversity, and uplift our shared vision for a world where African languages thrive—in classrooms, in communities, and across continents.

I invite all of you to work with us, because a tree does not make a forest!

Ithankyouall.
Asanteni sana. E seun gan. Ndewo nu. Siyabonga.
May our work be blessed, and may our languages live on!