By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Adedeji Odulesi, a polyglot hailing from the Yoruba ethnic group, has shared his experiences highlighting the tolerance, accommodation, and supportiveness of the Igbo community in Nigeria towards fellow Western Nigerians. Through a recent Facebook post, he recounted a friend’s remarkable journey, shedding light on the unity and acceptance he encountered among the Igbo people.
In his Facebook post, Odulesi introduced his friend, an Ijebu brother who had learned the craft of shoemaking and was practicing it in his hometown. However, the turning point in his life occurred when an Igbo man recognized his exceptional skills and suggested that he should relocate to Aba, a city known for its thriving shoemaking industry, where he believed his talent would flourish.
Driven by this dream, the Ijebu man approached his family with the idea of moving to the East. However, his family strongly discouraged him, fearing for his safety. They cautioned that if he ventured to the East, he might not return alive.
Undeterred by the warnings, the determined Ijebu shoemaker secretly left his hometown and embarked on a journey to Aba. During his time in Aba, he immersed himself in his craft, honing his skills and embracing the Igbo culture.
To maintain a low profile, he switched off his phone and remained out of contact with his family and hometown for months. Remarkably, a year later, he returned to his village with bags of rice, which he generously shared with his fellow villagers. However, it wasn’t long before they inquired about his return to the East.
Despite their initial concerns, his village had come to appreciate his newfound success, and they recognized that his journey to Aba had brought him prosperity. Today, he has become a successful entrepreneur with his own shops and employees, many of whom hail from Western Nigeria.
Adedeji Odulesi, who possesses an impressive command of multiple languages, including English, Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, French, German, Spanish, and his native language, Ijebu, used this heartwarming story to underscore the importance of embracing linguistic diversity. He encouraged parents to teach their children their native languages and urged all Nigerians to learn languages and dialects from other regions of the country. Odulesi believes that promoting linguistic diversity fosters unity, peace, and harmony across Nigeria.