Lagbaja’s ‘vernacular’ as a counter-narrative to colonial language imperialism in Yoruba society

Nigeria’s 1914 amalgamation required English as the official language due to its multi-ethnic nature, compelling indigenous people to learn English for formal settings. Language remains a crucial cultural determinant of grassroots development; however, mother tongues face challenges due to English dominance. This study, based on Critical Pedagogy and Semiotic Analysis, examines how Lagbaja’s ‘Vernacular’ uses music to decolonise linguistic hegemony and reclaim African identity. The song demonstrates music’s role as an informal teaching tool against oppression, defending the importance of mother tongues in cognitive development and communication in the classroom. Lagbaja transforms ‘Vernacular’ from a derogatory term into a symbol of resistance, using his masked persona to represent collective resistance against linguistic erasure. The findings reveal that the song employs translingual practices, sonic memory, and Yoruba-centric epistemology to challenge the hierarchical dominance of English. The issues raised in Vernacular highlight the urgent need to decolonise Nigeria’s language configuration for internal development.