Resource-Person-Mediated Instruction and Secondary Students’ Learning Outcomes in Yorùbá Orature: A Culturally Responsive Education

Abstract

There is an ongoing global call for culturally responsive pedagogy that helps promote inclusivity in education. Yet, indigenous languages and literature are heavily marginalized in Nigeria’s Western education system. For instance, many students have poor learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature due to the negative effects of Westernization and the overdominance of the English language. Therefore, this study aimed to design and test the effects of a resource-person-mediated instruction as a form of culturally responsive education on junior secondary students’ learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature. This research used a mixed-method (QUAN + qual) research design, with a pre-test–post-test one group quasi-experimental research design and focused group discussion (FGD) with participating students. This study found a significant difference in students’ pre-test and post-test measures in the knowledge of Yorùbá orature, attitude to Yorùbá orature, and motivation for Yorùbá orature. The prevailing themes from students’ FGD were that the use of resource-person mediated instruction promoted active instructional engagement, cultural motivation, and socio-cultural competence. This article concludes that intervention through resource-person mediated instruction is a culturally responsive education capable of making students culturally competent and socially relevant. Yorùbá language teachers should adopt this instruction to improve their students’ learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature.

1. Introduction

Western education in Nigeria is a significant aspect of the country’s colonial heritage, fundamentally shaping the educational landscape and societal dynamics. Since Nigeria was colonized by Britain, English became the nation’s official language. This legacy has resulted in the dominance of English as the primary language of instruction and communication within schools, effectively overshadowing the rich tapestry of indigenous languages and cultural expressions. As a consequence, the educational system tends to privilege English-speaking narratives and perspectives, often at the expense of the local languages, traditions, and literatures of the diverse ethnic groups that inhabit Nigeria (Erling et al., 2021).

In Nigeria, the current language policy in education stipulates that English should be the medium of instruction in post-primary and higher education while the language of the immediate environment should be used as the medium of instruction in primary school (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2022). This developed from the earlier formulated policy that only the first four years of primary education should be taught using the language of the immediate environment (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2013). Despite these policies, research on educational practices in Nigeria reported that the English language still dominates instruction in both primary and post-primary educational levels, as the indigenous languages remain marginalized – implying a poor implementation of the language policy (Obiakor, 2024; Ifelunni et al., 2024; Adeosun et al., 2022; Ozoemena et al., 2021). The poor implementation has been associated with the lack of instructional resources produced in indigenous languages, the lack of proper monitoring and supervision as well as the heterogenous nature of the Nigerian linguistic environment (Ifelunni et al., 2024; Ozoemena et al., 2021). While other factors are notable, the multilingual nature of Nigerian linguistic environment presents itself as a great impediment in language education planning and policy implementation in Nigeria. When one considers the multiplicity of (indigenous) languages in Nigeria, the question of which (indigenous) language assumes the role of a national language or which language performs which role in language planning becomes problematic. Similarly, this has made it difficult for teachers to implement indigenous language policy since most classrooms are filled with students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Which/whose indigenous language does the teacher then adopt as medium of instruction?

At the last count and report (Ethnologue, 2025), there are 520 living indigenous languages in Nigeria in addition to 10 living nonindigenous languages, among which the English language has enjoyed the role of the official language. The English language has, therefore, been posited as a unifying language, not only because it is the country’s colonial heritage but also because it is nonindigenous to any ethnic group in Nigeria. Ogunmodimu (2015) has conceptualized this position as the internationalist’s view on language planning and policy in Nigeria. However, this view further champions the course of linguistic imperialism in Nigeria (Adeyinka & Akinsola, 2021; Phillipson, 1996). In other words, the use of English to serve as a unifying language in Nigeria reduced Nigeria’s independence to a mere political one. By implication, Nigeria is still highly dependent on Britain socio-culturally and educationally, since language and its usage are sine qua non to social, cultural and educational developments. In addition, the use of English has downgraded the potentialities of Nigeria’s numerous indigenous languages in developing and competing globally. Although the education policy in Nigeria recognizes some major indigenous languages among which are Hausa, Igbo and Yorùbá, there is less emphasis on their teaching and learning compared to the English language. One expects that the major Nigerian languages should be well represented as school subjects across all levels of education in Nigeria, giving students choices of selection, since the multiplicity of indigenous languages in Nigeria may not fully permit their use as languages of instruction across all levels.

In addition to the poor implementation of the language of instruction policy, the marginalization of indigenous languages in Nigeria’s education system also emerges in the teaching of indigenous languages as school subjects. Currently, the indigenous languages are only compulsory subjects at the primary and junior secondary education levels (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2013). Also, while English is made compulsory and a requirement for studying any discipline at higher institutions of learning, no indigenous language in Nigeria has the same status except when the discipline to study is that indigenous language. In fact, students who apply to study indigenous languages in Nigerian higher institutions are required to have a credit pass (a significantly high mark that shows proficiency) in the English language before they can be admitted. This overemphasis on the English language both as the language of instruction and an important school subject is overriding the linguistic right of Nigerians in developing themselves holistically through their indigenous languages, cultures and literatures. According to I. T. Akinsola and Olaosebikan (2021), the non-usage of indigenous languages, cultures and literatures in education is one of the major reasons that Nigeria has an increasing number of youths and adolescents who lack awareness of their indigenous moral and cultural values. Olaoye’s (2013) position about the roles of indigenous languages in national development corroborates this.

Yorùbá is one of the major indigenous languages in Nigeria that has been highly marginalized in education both by policy and practice. The language is largely spoken in Nigeria’s southwestern states (Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Ekiti, and Ondo) as well as in Kwara and Kogi states in the north central region (Oyeladun et al., 2023). Therefore, Yorùbá has been recognized as the second most spoken indigenous language in Nigeria, after Hausa, with 39.5 million speakers as of the year 2021 (Statista, 2024). Outside Nigeria, Yorùbá indigenous speakers can be found in African countries such as Togo, Republic of Benín, Ghana, Sudan, Sierra-Leone and Côte D’Ivoire as well as in countries such as Brazil, Cuba, and Trinidad and Tobago (Fabunmi & Salawu, 2005). In the United States, the study of Yorùbá as a foreign and/or heritage language has gained popularity in several colleges and universities, stressing its global reach. The Yorùbá language has a very rich culture and (oral) literature that have contributed to its scholarly acceptance in global African studies. However, the study of the Yorùbá oral literature in Nigerian secondary schools has yet to have a successful outlook. Therefore, this study explores an intervention that could address this.

The Yorùbá oral literature (referred to as ‘Orature’ in this study) has been conceptualized as the collection of words and verbal performances that depicts the Yorùbá worldviews, philosophies, traditions values, and belief systems (I. Akinsola, 2024; I. T. Akinsola & Ilesanmi, 2018; Adejumo, 2009). Yorùbá orature can be poetic lines recited, chanted or sung. It can also be in terms of prosaic narratives such as folktales, myths, legends and so on. It can also be dramatic, examples of which are dance display, masquerade display, festivals, initiation ceremonies and so on. Whichever form it takes, the Yorùbá orature is credited for its usage of well-embellished Yorùbá language and its portrayal of rich Yorùbá philosophies (Ogunjimi & Na’Allah, 2005; Olatunji, 1984). For instance, the chant sub-genre of Yorùbá orature utilizes societal happenings as a major source of content so as to satirize societal ills and celebrate moral deeds (Kolawole, 2023; Crowley & Babalola, 1967). Also, the Ifa corpus sub-genre of the Yorùbá orature houses the deep Yorùbá philosophies that every individual needs in order to be functional members of the Yorùbá society (Aina, 2022; Abimbola, 1975). In their explanation of the link between Yorùbá orature and moral character/value, Falola and Akinyemi (2016, p. 253) cite a common Ifá verse:

Owó lo ní tóò níwà, owó olówó ni

Ìwà, ìwà là ń wá, Ìwà.

Ọmọ lo ní tóò níwà, ọmọ ọl$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$mọ ni,

Ìwà, ìwà là ń wá, Ìwà.

$$

If you have money without character, it’s other people’s money

Character, character is what we should look for, character.

If you have children without character, they are other people’s children

Character, character is what we should look for, character.

By implication, the Yorùbá orature preserves and transmits the Yorùbá values, customs and philosophies from one generation to another. In fact, according to Fafunwa (1974), this was a major method and content of education in the precolonial Yorùbá society.

The Yorùbá curriculum stipulates the teaching of the Yorùbá orature at the secondary education level in Nigeria so that students can through it imbibe their value system, morals, traditions and norms. According to I. T. Akinsola and Olaosebikan (2021) the display of these values would make them functional and useful members of their society–contributing to the development of their society. In the junior secondary education curriculum, emphasis is placed on the typologies of Yorùbá orature such as poetic recitations, chants and songs; prosaic folktales, myth and legend; and dramatic masquerade and traditional festivals. These typologies are allotted 40% in both internal (school-based terminal and promotional) and external (Basic Education Certificate Examination) examinations in Oyo State, showing their significance in the study of Yorùbá language and culture. In poetic chant, a particular emphasis is placed on liturgical chants among which are Ìjálá, $\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{E}}$sà, Ìy$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$r$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$ Ifá, and Ṣàngó pípè1. Ìjálá is the genre associated with hunters and iron-related artisans who all worship Ògún, the Yoruba deity typifying iron and war. $\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{E}}$sà is the chant used in praising and evoking the mystical powers of masquerade, the deity believed by the Yoruba to be their heavenly ancestor. Ìy$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$r$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$ Ifá is the chant used in celebrating $\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{O}}$rúnmìlà, the god of divination who holds the storehouse of the Yoruba philosophies. Ṣàngó pípè is the chant used in praising and evoking the power of Ṣàngó–the Yoruba deity in charge of thunder and lightning. The reason for the emphasis on liturgical chants like these relates to their portrayal of moral sanctity. Also, the liturgical chants seem to be more eroded by the Western/modern influence through Christianity and Islam in Nigeria than other sub-genres of the Yorùbá orature. Therefore, the teaching of Yorùbá liturgical chants in junior secondary school is not only geared towards moral education but also cultural preservation and sustainability.

However, reports of previous studies (I. T. Akinsola, 2023; Ilesanmi, 2018) established that many students have poor learning outcomes (knowledge, attitude, and motivation) in Yorùbá orature. This situation is partly due to the effects of Westernization and globalization that are eroding the Yorùbá cultural heritage (I. T. Akinsola & Olaosebikan, 2021). Despite the numerous commendable contributions of Westernization and modernization to urbanization and societal development in Nigeria, these factors have a far-reaching effect on the erosion of indigenous cultural heritage. For instance, their influence is seen in how students and youth now prefer Western-oriented entertainments in terms of films, music and other art products to their indigenous mode of entertainment, among which is orature (I. Akinsola, 2024). Therefore, whether consciously or unconsciously, students are also contributing to the marginalization of the Yorùbá language, culture and literature. Through their preference for Western-oriented languages, cultures and literature above their indigenous languages, culture and literature, students are gradually becoming disconnected from their socio-cultural roots, thereby making the sustainability of the Yorùbá cultural heritage challenging. In addition, this has profound implications for the preservation and promotion of Yorùbá cultural identity/heritage and accessibility of education for many students, since students are robbed of the opportunity to engage deeply with their own history and identity.

One should wonder why the inclusion and teaching of Yorùbá orature in secondary schools have not so much improved students’ knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature. In probing this question, I. Akinsola (2024) indicted the conventional mode of teaching the Yorùbá language, culture and literature in secondary schools. The conventional method has been too teacher-centered, theoretical and socio-culturally detached from the students’ indigenous realities. Thus, Yorùbá orature instruction has been reduced to a mere chalk-and-talk without a consideration of its oral nature, which requires contextual demonstration, imitation and modeling. To be effective, such instruction needs to provide demonstrations of the orature performance that would serve as a model for students to imitate. However, studies in Yorùbá orature instruction majorly focused on the survey of social, psychological, home, and students’ factors responsible for learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature (Olayinka, 2019; Ilesanmi, 2018; Olabode, 2017). Hitherto, less attention has been placed on designing and implementing Yorùbá orature instructions that would involve modeling the performances through real life demonstration and students’ imitation of the same. The use of resource-persons in teaching Yorùbá orature can bridge this gap; hence, the need for this present study.

The use of resource-persons in Yorùbá orature instruction could help achieve the goals of culturally responsive education, especially when such resource-persons are Yorùbá indigenous personalities. Culturally responsive education has been globally conceptualized as a means of educating that identifies with students’ (diverse) cultural backgrounds and experiences with the aim of creating inclusivity, promoting cultural identities and perspectives as well as improving academic achievement (Mehta, 2024; Caingcoy, 2023; Weidl et al., 2022; Ladson-Billings, 1995). The focus of culturally responsive education is not just effective teaching but also the recognition of students’ cultural realities and their integration into the methods and content of education. In a culturally responsive classroom, students feel included socio-culturally because the instruction fosters positive self-identity among them (Gay, 2018; Villegas & Lucas, 2007).

Several strategies have been employed by educators in implementing culturally responsive education in various educational contexts. Weidl et al. (2022) examined the use of LILIEMA (Language-independent literacies for inclusive education in multilingual areas) strategy in Senegal and reported the role of the cultural knowledge of local participants in the understanding of the social environment for literacy in the African multilingual context. Ava and Page (2020) investigated how the tivaevae model proposed by Maua-Hodges in 2000 adopted as a culturally responsive pedagogy promotes sustainable education and curriculum opportunities that foster inclusivity in education in the Pacific region. This is also an indication of how local cultural knowledge, just as Weidl et al. (2022) found, can be adopted to promote the goal of a culturally responsive education. According to Boruah (2022), textbook developers and publishers can also maximize the people’s local cultures in designing materials with inclusive cultural representations for language teaching in multilingual and multicultural settings. Jalil (2023) designed such culturally responsive language teaching material and tested its efficacy in multilingual and multicultural classroom settings. The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy (CLRP) incorporated lesson plan, as Jalil called it, positively improved students’ motivation, engagement and speaking skills, while bridging cultural differences.

The foregoing confirms the argument of Gay (2018) that a culturally responsive education is multidimensionally encompassing lesson contents, curricula, lesson delivery techniques, the teacher–student relationship as well as other variables that go into education in multilingual and multicultural settings. According to Biswas (2022), this way of educating promotes improved student engagement, enhances academic achievement, fosters a positive classroom climate, and increases cultural competence, empowerment and greater parental engagement. However, this hypothesis has been rejected by a recent study conducted by Rivera (2024). Rivera reported through a quantitative causal-comparative retrospective methodology that students’ academic achievement did not significantly differ based on teachers’ level of cultural competency (whether high or low). Also, there was no significant relationship between teachers’ cultural competency and students’ academic achievement. This finding does not only contradict the already established link between culturally responsive education and students’ school success but also has an implication for contending its impact in promoting the social and cultural growth of students for a diverse world. More studies, like this present one, are needed to further test this hypothesis.

In Nigeria, research evidence revealed that a culturally-based instructional strategy had a significant main effect on primary school pupils’ cognitive competence in problem solving, speaking and listening skills (Majebi & Oduolowu, 2021). Theater/drama has also been explored as a culturally responsive strategy that not only improves language skills (Ebai, 2024) but also identifies with students’ diverse cultures and promotes inclusivity (I. T. Akinsola, 2023; Ejiofor & Ken-Aminikpo, 2016). Nwokocha (2021) developed and implemented a locally-relevant curriculum to address difficulties in adherence to moral values among school children and reported success in students’ receptiveness and stakeholders’ (parents, school authorities, and community leaders) acceptance, since the curriculum is culturally responsive. However, the use of resource-persons to promote the goals of a culturally responsive education that would improve students’ learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature has hitherto received little or no research attention, despite reports of its effectiveness in other subject areas (Eje et al., 2021; Zakari & Bello, 2019). Therefore, this study was conducted to design and test the efficacy of a resource-person mediated instruction, as a culturally responsive education, on learning outcomes (knowledge, attitude and motivation) in Yorùbá orature among junior secondary school students in the Ibadan metropolis. The perception of students about the instruction was also explored. For the purpose of this study, the following research questions were raised:

• To what extent does resource-person mediated instruction, as a culturally responsive education, significantly impact junior secondary school students’ knowledge acquisition, attitudinal shifts, and motivation enhancement in Yorùbá orature, as measured by pre- and post-test scores?
• What are the perceptions of junior secondary school students in the Ibadan metropolis regarding their experience with resource-person mediated instruction in learning Yorùbá orature?

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Research Design and Paradigm

This study adopted the mixed-method (QUAN + qual) research design of the concurrent embedded type (Creswell, 2009). This design allowed the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously to address different research objectives or questions. The quantitative method adopted was a quasi-experiment involving one group pre-test and post-test (Ary et al., 2010). In this experimental procedure, treatment was administered to a group of nonrandomized participants after a pre-test measure and preceding a post-test measure (Ary et al., 2010). The qualitative aspect involved focused group discussion (FGD) (Creswell, 2009) with the participating students in order to understand their perception about the resource-person mediated instruction they were exposed to in the experiment.

This study aligns with the pragmatist research paradigm (Foster, 2024; Creswell, 2009), which arises from practical interaction with the environment (Dewey, cited in Liu, 2022). Pragmatism values both objective observation and subjective experiences as crucial for understanding and addressing problems (Liu, 2022). This philosophical stance underpins the adoption of a mixed-method design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). In this study, the quasi-experiment objectively assessed the impact of resource-person mediated instruction on learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature. Simultaneously, the nested qualitative component (FGDs) explored students’ subjective perceptions, providing a richer understanding of their experiences with this culturally responsive educational approach. This integration of quantitative and qualitative data, guided by pragmatism, allows for a more comprehensive analysis of the intervention’s effectiveness and student experiences.

2.2. Study Area and Participants

This study was carried out in an Ibadan metropolitan local government area–Ibadan North Local Government Area (LGA, henceforth). This LGA is one of the five LGAs in the Ibadan metropolis. Founded by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria on 27th September 1991, Ibadan North LGA is one of the centers of modern economic and socio-cultural activities in the city of Ibadan (I. Akinsola, 2024). As an LGA that houses the premier university in Nigeria–University of Ibadan, Ibadan North plays a crucial role in the region’s socio-economic development, contributing to the overall progress of Ibadan as a major urban center in Nigeria (I. Akinsola, 2024). Therefore, Ibadan North LGA, being a metropolis, is occupied/populated mostly by the Yorùbá educated elites, who have benefited immensely from literacy and personal development offered by Westernization. However, this population, consequently, has negative attitudes toward their indigenous language and culture, as a result of their high exposure to modernization and Western culture through schooling and the digital media. Similarly, the secondary schools in this area tend to favor Western orientations and perspectives in terms of language and cultures while marginalizing the Yorùbá language and culture that is indigenous to the area. As such, the schools in the area best fit the purpose of this study.

In Ibadan North LGA, a secondary school was purposively selected for this study. The purposive sampling technique was adopted since it allowed the researcher to select a school that had characteristics relevant for the context of this study (Nyimbili & Nyimbili, 2024). The school selected had the following distinguishing characteristics:

• The school is government-owned;
• The school is a gender-mixed school;
• The school has been in existence for at least 10 years, to ensure a track record of the teaching of Yorùbá orature;
• The school has a qualified and experienced Yorùbá language teacher for junior secondary school students;
• It is a school where a larger percentage of students are Yorùbá indigenes;
• The school was willing to participate in this study through the signing of the study consent form by the school authority.

In the selected school, an intact class of Junior Secondary Two (JSS 2) students (n = 27) was selected. The junior secondary education level was selected because of the dominance of Yorùbá orature topics in its curriculum. The class comprised students with Yorùbá cultural backgrounds, and this study sought to enhance their engagement with and preservation of Yorùbá cultural heritage. The students in the class were all Yorùbá indigenes who needed to appreciate and preserve the Yorùbá cultural heritage. The Yorùbá language teacher of the selected class was engaged as a research assistant who aided with the administration of the survey instruments, collation of data, and classroom implementation of the experiment.

In addition, three Yorùbá orature resource-persons (two oral chanters and one Ifa divination priest) were purposively selected and incorporated into the orature instructional experiment conducted in this study. In the context of this study, resource-persons are community partners whose expertise could be harnessed in making education culturally responsive (Chia, 2019; Kugler & West-Burns, 2010). Resource-persons in Yorùbá orature are therefore individuals who are custodians of the Yorùbá orature and cultural performance in the Yorùbá community. While a few of them are literate and have received Western/formal education, a good number of these individuals have limited formal literacy. However, they play a key role in the Yorùbá socio-cultural settings. Examples of such people are oral chanters and Ifa divination priests. In teaching Yorùbá orature in the junior secondary schools, it is hypothesized in this study that designing an instruction that incorporates these individuals would culturally engage students and recognize their cultural background even while receiving Western education. This could reduce the marginalization of local cultures caused by Westernization and globalization in Nigeria.

The criteria for the purposive selection of Yorùbá orature resource-persons were:

• Origin–resource-persons who have remained/lived in the Yorùbá society and especially in Ibadan for a better part of their lives;
• Age–resource-persons who were at least 40 years old to ensure that such individuals have gathered enough and consistent cultural experiences in the Yorùbá setting;
• Formal education–resource-persons who had at least a secondary education certificate so as to ensure that such individuals understand the values of formal education;
• Consent–resource-persons who were willing to participate in this study by signing a consent form.

2.3. Research Instruments

Survey instruments (test and questionnaires) were used for the pre- and post-test measures taken in this study, since they would allow for objective observation and analysis of the dependent variables before and after the treatment (Cohen et al., 2018). Three of such instruments were employed: Yorùbá Orature Knowledge Test, Questionnaire on Students’ Disposition to Yorùbá Orature and Motivation for Yorùbá Orature Questionnaire.

Yorùbá Orature Knowledge Test was adapted from I. T. Akinsola (2023) who developed and validated it to measure knowledge of Yorùbá orature among senior secondary school students in Ibadan metropolis. Since this present study is focused on junior secondary school students with a different curriculum, the test items were modified to reflect the realities in their curriculum. The Yorùbá orature topics in the JSS 2 curriculum that were selected were three Yorùbá chant typologies (Ìjálá, $\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{E}}$sà and Ìy$\underset{·}{\overset{̀}{e}}$r$\underset{·}{\overset{̀}{e}}$ Ifá). Thus, the test was sub-divided into three parts, each part focusing on each typology. Since it was adapted, the test went through another validation process. It was face and content validated by experts in Yorùbá literature and was later trial-tested on 10 JSS 2 students in a school outside Ibadan metropolis. The Kuder Richardson (KR) 20 formula was then used to determine a reliability coefficient of 0.81, implying that the test was reliable in measuring students’ knowledge of Yorùbá orature.

Questionnaire on Students’ Disposition to Yorùbá Orature (r = 0.76 Cronbach Alpha) and Motivation for Yorùbá Orature Questionnaire (r = 0.72 Cronbach Alpha) were adopted from I. T. Akinsola (2023) to measure students’ attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature respectively. While the Questionnaire on Students’ Disposition to Yorùbá Orature comprised 20 items, Motivation for Yorùbá Orature Questionnaire comprised 15 items. The items were constructed on the Modified 4-point Likert Scale of Strongly Agree (4), Agree (3), Disagree (2) and Strongly Disagree (1), calibrated in that order for positively-worded items but in the reversed order for negatively-worded items. Since they were adopted, the two questionnaires were not revalidated in this present study.

Apart from the survey instruments used for pre- and post-test measures, a Focused Group Discussion Guide and Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide were self-constructed for this study. The FGD Guide was constructed to aid the collection of qualitative data from the students who participated in the experiment (Creswell, 2009). The focus was to allow them to discuss their experiences with and perception about the implemented resource-person-mediated instruction in Yorùbá orature. The Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide aided the classroom implementation of the culturally responsive education designed through the incorporation of Yorùbá orature resource-persons. This is discussed in the next subsection.

2.4. The Research Procedure

This study was carried out in five stages over a period of 12 weeks.

Table 1. Tabulation of the research procedure.

Stage	Activities	Duration
1	Selection of School and Participants	2 weeks
2	Material Development	2 weeks
3	Pre-Test Measures	1 week
4	Treatment and FGD Embedded	6 weeks
5	Post-Test Measures	1 week
	Total	12 weeks

gives a run-down of these stages:

In the first stage, the participants (students, teacher/research assistant and resource-persons) were selected for this study using the criteria presented under the study area and participants. The second stage involved the development of materials such as the Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide and FGD Guide and the adaptation of Yorùbá Orature Knowledge Test used for this study. The development of Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide is central to this study. The guide was self-constructed following the principle of community partnership for equity education (Kakungulu, 2024). In a collaborative workshop (Kakungulu, 2024), the researcher, the selected research assistant (teacher) and resource-persons brainstormed on the ‘‘how’’ of incorporating resource-persons’ oral performances into Yorùbá orature instruction. The workshop produced the following steps for the Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide, which aimed to aid the teaching of Yorùbá orature in a 40-min lesson:

Step one: The teacher introduces the lesson by stating the behavioural objectives. (3 min). Step two: The students react to the objectives by providing comments, questions and their expectations for the lessons (7 min). Step three: The teacher gives an overview of Yorùbá orature topic selected for the lesson (5 min). Step four: The teacher invites the resource-person by reading their brief biography (2 min). Step five: The resource-person models the selected Yorùbá orature topic through oral performance (7 min). Step six: The students imitate the resource-person’s performance (7 min). Step seven: The students interact with the resource-person through comments, questions and self-evaluation of the lesson objectives and self-generated expectations (7 min). Step eight: The teacher summarizes the lesson (2 min).

Stage three in the research procedure involved the pre-test measures of students’ knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature, through the research instruments designated for each.

The fourth stage involved experimental teaching which lasted six weeks. The Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide was employed by the teacher in teaching three Yorùbá chant typologies (Ìjálá, $\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{E}}$sà and Ìy$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$r$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$ Ifá) purposively selected in the current Yorùbá language curriculum for JSS 2. A topic was treated for two weeks after which an FGD session was held with eight volunteers among the students. Each FGD session lasted 10 to 12 min and was tape recorded on the researcher’s storage device. The FGDs were conducted in Yorùbá while extracts were presented with an English translation in the results. Following the six weeks of treatment, the post-test measures of students’ knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature was conducted.

2.5. Ethical Considerations

This study considered the ethical principles of social and behavioural research (Government Social Research Profession, 2021). The study proposal and instruments were reviewed by the post-graduate research committee of the researcher’s institutional affiliation. The participants (students, teacher and resource-persons) selected for this study signed a consent form that informed them of the purpose of this study, the nature of their participation in terms of their roles, the voluntariness of their involvement and data confidentiality (Cohen et al., 2018). Students’ participation remained voluntary as they were allowed to withdraw their participation at any time without giving any reason. As such, only the 27 JSS II students who completed this study are reported. There were no pictures of students or the classroom setting taken and no part of the research instruments elicited personal information from the students. The data collected through pre- and post-test measures and FGD sessions were treated confidentially. The FGD audio recordings were permanently deleted from the researcher’s storage device after they had been thoroughly transcribed. Therefore, no student could be identified with any response.

2.6. Methods of Data Analysis

Quantitative data through pre- and post-test measures were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 25. While students’ responses in Yorùbá Orature Knowledge Test were graded against a maximum obtainable score of 30, their responses to the Likert Scales (attitude and motivation) were transformed to whole scores before running the analysis. The total score obtainable in Questionnaire on Students’ Disposition to Yorùbá Orature, used in measuring students’ attitude to Yorùbá orature, was 80 since the scale contained 20 items on a 4-point response format. However, the total score obtainable in Motivation for Yorùbá Orature Questionnaire was 60 since the scale contained 15 items on a 4-point response format. Thereafter, the pre- and post-test scores of each student in the three measures (knowledge, attitude and motivation) were compared using pair sample T-test analysis at p < 0.05 (Cohen et al., 2018; Ary et al., 2010) in order to examine the significant difference between students’ pre- and post-test scores in knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature.

The FGD data were transcribed and manually categorized into themes using weighted codes (Creswell, 2009). Therefore, the thematic analysis (Creswell, 2009) method was adopted for the qualitative data. The results obtained from this data analysis process are presented and discussed in the subsequent sections of this article.

3. Results

Research Question 1: Is there a significant difference in the pre- and post-test scores of students in knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature?

Results in

Table 2. Summary of Pair Sample T-test Analysis of Students’ Pre- and Post-test Score in Knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature.

Variables		N	Mean	Standard Dev.	df	t	p-Value	Remarks
Knowledge of Yorùbá Orature	Pre-test	27	11.07	1.99	26	−15.98	0.000	Significant
	Post-test	27	20.04	2.62
Attitude to Yorùbá Orature	Pre-test	27	39.37	9.03	26	−10.57	0.000	Significant
	Post-test	27	60.96	11.76
Motivation for Yorùbá Orature	Pre-test	27	29.26	5.97	26	−14.94	0.000	Significant
	Post-test	27	51.37	6.71

show that the students’ post-test scores in the three learning outcomes (knowledge, attitude and motivation) in Yorùbá orature are higher than their pre-test scores. As indicated, the students had a higher post-test mean score of 20.04 in knowledge of Yorùbá orature; 60.96 in attitude to Yorùbá orature and 51.37 in motivation for Yorùbá orature; against the pre-test mean scores of 11.07, 39.37 and 29.26 respectively. This implies that the treatment administered (resource-person mediated instruction) improved the learning outcomes of students in Yorùbá orature. The result further confirms that a statistically significant difference exists between students’ pre-test and post-test scores in knowledge of Yorùbá orature (t₍₂₆₎ = −15.98; p = 0.00 < 0.05), attitude to Yorùbá orature (t₍₂₆₎ = −10.57; p = 0.00 < 0.05) and motivation for Yorùbá orature (t₍₂₆₎ = −14.94; p = 0.00 < 0.05). This implies that the differences in the pre- and post-test mean scores of students were statistically significant. This result underscores that incorporating resource-persons into Yorùbá orature instruction, as a form of culturally responsive education, increased students’ learning outcomes (knowledge, attitude and motivation) in Yorùbá orature.

Research Question 2: How do students perceive the resource-person mediated instruction?

The thematic analysis of the FGD sessions generated three over-arching themes on students’ perception of the resource-person-mediated instruction in Yorùbá orature. The three themes are as follows:

• Active instructional engagement
• Cultural motivation
• Socio-cultural competence

The students perceived that the resource-person-mediated instruction in Yorùbá orature promoted an active instructional engagement. According to them, the instruction allowed them to interact with local and community partners on an aspect of their cultural heritage–orature. They were not just passive receivers of information from the teacher as it is with the conventional chalk-and-talk instructional strategy. One of the students in the FGD session commented that:

Nígbà tí a wà ní kíláàsì, gbogbo wa la kópa nínú r$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$... pátápátá, a s$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$r$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$ àti ìbéèrè naa

When we were in the classroom, all of us participated in it…all of us, we spoke and also asked questions

(Student IV, FGD Session II, 13 February 2024, Ibadan)

According to Student IV, the instruction allowed them to give their comments and ask questions. The students had the opportunity to express themselves and explore the experience of such community partners in a way they never had. Another student, corroborating this, commented the following:

Mo ní àǹfààní láti bá bàbá ọdẹ s$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$r$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$... Mi ò bá wọn s$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$r$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$ rí. Ṣùgb$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n nígbà tí wọn sun ijala fún wa, mo bá wọn s$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$r$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$ nípa rẹ. Gbogbo wa la tún sọ ìjálá t$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$le wọn... Ó dùn gan-an

I had the opportunity to speak with an elderly hunter…I have never spoken to such before. But when he chanted ijala for us, I spoke to him about it. All of us also repeated Ijala after him…it’s very interesting.

(Student II, FGD Session III, 28 February 2024, Ibadan)

The participatory nature of the instruction made it interesting. Students could practice the Yorùbá oral performance on the spot and do a self-assessment of themselves. Therefore, the instruction was not aimed at a mere passing across of information for students to store. It rather aimed at engaging the students for effective acquisition of the oral performance technique. This made the instruction more effective than the conventional strategy as one of the students perceived:

…bí àwọn Tísà wa ṣe máa ń k$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$ wa, wọn kìí ráyè tó, sùgb$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n àwọn ní ti wọn, w$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n ráyè k$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$ wa dáadáa…w$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n mú àwọn èèyàn wá láti k$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$ wa, w$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n sì máa ń farabal$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$.

…the conventional way our teachers teach us, they didn’t usually have enough time, but those people you brought had enough time…resource-persons were brought in and they were calm and procedural

(Student VII, FGD Session I, 29 January 2024, Ibadan)

The active instructional engagement of the approach contributed to its effectiveness in motivating students towards their cultural practices. During the FGD sessions, students expressed their perceptions about the potential of the instruction in promoting cultural motivation. Cultural motivation as perceived by them is the inspiration to learn and practice the Yorùbá culture among which orature is key:

Orí mi wú nígbà tí wọn ṣe àwọn ewì náà fún wa, ó sì wú mi lórí gan-an, mo wá like láti máa sunjala torí mo ti rí bí wọn ṣe máa ń se

I was inspired when they performed the chants for us, and it inspired me a lot, I then liked to chant ijala because I have seen they it is being performed

(Student V, FGD Session I, 29 January 2024, Ibadan)

Learning and motivation to learn occurs when students have first-hand experience with the lesson content. The resource-person mediated instruction gave them this opportunity because their teacher was not merely reporting the performance practice to them, they saw and practiced after the models themselves.

The promotion of active instructional engagement and cultural motivation culminated in improving students’ indigenous socio-cultural competence. This was the most prevailing theme that the other two themes built up into. Across all the FGD sessions, students perceived that the resource-person mediated instruction increases their cultural awareness, knowledge and interest, all of which contribute to their socio-cultural competence. Through the instruction, students came to the realization of the fact that Yorùbá orature is not only meant for liturgical purposes as their entertaining function was laid bare:

Àṣé ìy$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$r$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$ ifá kii se fún òrìṣà nìkan. Mo ṣ$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$ṣ$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$ mọ ni o

So, ìy$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$r$\underset{.}{\overset{̀}{e}}$ ifá is not only meant for the worship of deities. I am just knowing

(Student III, FGD Session I, 29 January 2024, Ibadan)

$$

Ètò yìí ló j$\acute{\mathrm{ẹ}}$ kí n m$\grave{\mathrm{ọ}}$ pé Yorùbá dùn... Yorùbá tún ní àwọn àṣà tó dùn gan-an ni..

It was this programme that made me to know that Yorùbá is interesting… Yorùbá also have very interesting cultural practices.

(Student VI, FGD Session II, 13 February 2024, Ibadan)

The above comments on cultural awareness are very important to theorizing socio-cultural competence as an outcome of using resource-person mediated instruction for teaching Yorùbá orature. Fetishism is one of the criticisms leveled against the Yorùbá culture by Westernization and a major reason why many Yorùbá Christian and Muslim converts are not interested in practicing the Yorùbá culture (Fabidun & Bade-Afuye, 2022; Odejobi, 2013). Therefore, students seeing the entertaining and socializing sides of the Yorùbá orature is a step closer to socio-cultural competence especially in their Yorùbá indigenous cultural practices. Students also claimed to have learnt new things about the Yorùbá culture, especially concerning Yorùbá orature, through the instruction:

…w$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n k$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$ wa ní àwọn ìlànà tí a máa ń t$\grave{\mathrm{ẹ}}$lé tí a bá f$\acute{\mathrm{ẹ}}$ sun ìjálá. Àk$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$k$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$, ìbà jíjú, ẹl$\acute{\mathrm{ẹ}}$kejì, ìwéréǹde, ìtàn náà tún wà tí ó j$\acute{\mathrm{ẹ}}$ wí pé w$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n máa ń sọ bí nǹkan ṣe ń lọ ní orílé-èdè. Ìparí òhun bí w$\acute{\mathrm{ọ}}$n ṣe máa ń sọ wí pé àwọn ń dágbére.

…they taught us the procedure to follow in chanting ìjálá. Firstly, paying homage, secondly, …, stories/histories is also a part which normally exposes current happenings in the country. Lastly is how they normally sign out of performance.

(Student VIII, FGD Session III, 28 February 2024, Ibadan)

The above comments on the importance of cultural knowledge to socio-cultural competence. To be socio-culturally competent, the knowledge of culture(s) is germane. This cultural knowledge is actively and participatively acquired by students through the implementation of resource-person mediated instruction. In essence, cultural awareness and knowledge are interconnected, since awareness can increase knowledge and vice versa. Through this awareness and knowledge, many students reported they have become interested in practicing the Yorùbá orature performance because they perceived that the instruction made them bolder as one of them boldly commented that: ó máa fún yàn ní boldness (meaning, it normally gives someone boldness). Such cultural boldness came from their awareness and knowledge of the benefits of Yorùbá orature performance–promotion and the preservation of cultural heritage. When asked why they were interested in Yorùbá orature performance, the students in the FGD sessions mostly chorused:

láti gbé àṣà wa lárugẹ - to promote our culture

kí àṣà wa má bà parun - that our culture may not go into extinction

ó máa j$\acute{\mathrm{ẹ}}$kí àṣà wa má lọ sókè sí i - it lifts up our culture

In essence, it is safe to conclude that the experiment was a culturally responsive education that improved students’ socio-cultural competence.

4. Discussion

This study was carried out to examine the statistical difference in the pre- and post-test scores of students in knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature. This study also explored students’ perception of the resource-person mediated instruction. The result revealed a significant difference in students’ pre-test and post-test measures in knowledge of Yorùbá orature, attitude to Yorùbá orature, and motivation for Yorùbá orature. Students perceived that the use of resource-person mediated instruction promoted active instructional engagement, cultural motivation, and socio-cultural competence. This implies that resource-person mediated instruction enhanced students’ learning outcomes in Yorùbá orature by effectively integrating the rich Yorùbá socio-cultural context into the classroom environment, particularly focusing on oral literature performance. In the traditional Yorùbá socio-cultural milieu, oral literature is primarily acquired through the processes of modeling and imitation, as noted by Olatunji (1984) and Crowley and Babalola (1967). Within this framework, skilled oral performers serve as role models, demonstrating various performance techniques while individuals, who may be either direct or indirect members of the audience, consciously or unconsciously emulate these performances. This imitative learning process is crucial, as it allows individuals to internalize the nuances of Yorùbá orature over time, transforming them into proficient practitioners themselves.

According to the qualitative findings, the involvement of resource-persons in orature instruction provided students with valuable opportunities to observe and actively engage with masterful presentations of Yorùbá oral literature. This promoted cultural motivation and increased their cultural awareness, knowledge and interest towards being socio-culturally competent. The resource-persons did not only present the cultural practices but also highlighted the cultural significance and emotional depth embedded within the narratives. This explains why the experiment was able to increase students’ affective variables (attitude and motivation) in Yorùbá orature as found in the quantitative analysis. As students witnessed the performances, their understanding of orature deepened, as they were able to appreciate the artistry and performance techniques employed by the resource-persons. Consequently, this exposure fostered a more profound knowledge of Yorùbá orature among the students, cultivating a positive attitude toward the subject and motivating them to embrace its learning more ardently.

The interactive nature of the sessions encouraged students to participate actively, ask questions, and even attempt their own performances, thereby reinforcing their learning through practice. The combination of direct observation, participation, and cultural immersion created a holistic learning experience that not only enriched students’ academic outcomes but also instilled a sense of pride and connection to their heritage. This transformative approach to teaching Yorùbá orature can work towards empowering students to appreciate and preserve their cultural identity.

The findings, therefore, have implications for strengthening school-community collaboration towards making education culturally responsive. Beyond being external teachers, resource-persons are custodians of the Yoruba indigenous knowledge system in terms of culture and literature. Educating through these indigenous knowledge systems is a step directed towards making Nigeria self-reliant and decolonized both culturally and educationally.

This study contributes to understanding how culturally responsive initiatives can be implemented by theorizing the involvement of resource persons and other community partners as an effective means of achieving the goals of culturally responsive education. Schools exist in the community that have a specific cultural orientation. Educating students in such communities should be a collaboration between the community and the school, if it is to be culturally responsive. The findings of studies conducted by Eje et al. (2021) and Zakari and Bello (2019), despite being on different subject areas, corroborate the need for community collaboration in achieving a culturally responsive education. Eje et al. (2021) and Zakari and Bello (2019) found the incorporation of resource-persons effective in practical agriculture and family planning topics respectively. When community partners are brought into the education settings as resource-persons, they bring in their experiences and expertise however from their own socio-cultural milieu. Therefore, when such partners are from the same cultural backgrounds as the students, the education that this process provides will align with students’ cultural needs and identity–a framework that has been used by (Gay, 2018) in theorizing culturally responsive education.

Just as found in this study, previous studies are replete with the effectiveness of culturally responsive education on students’ achievement and learning outcomes. Therefore, the findings of this present study corroborate those of Ebai (2024); Jalil (2023); I. T. Akinsola (2023); Weidl et al. (2022); Boruah (2022); Biswas (2022); Majebi and Oduolowu (2021); Nwokocha (2021) and Ava and Page (2020), who all reported the effectiveness of different forms of culturally responsive education on students’ academic achievement and learning outcomes. Although most of these studies were conducted to increase students’ language achievement and literacy, there was a particular emphasis placed on local cultural knowledge in deploying culturally responsive education.

For instance, Ebai (2024) who deployed theater/drama as a culturally responsive education to improve ESL learners’ communicative competence, explored students’ indigenous cultures in developing their theater/drama packages. Weidl et al. (2022), in their study, reported that the LILIEMA project in Senegal helped explore the local cultural knowledge in understanding the social environment for literacy. Majebi and Oduolowu (2021) also reported that culturally-based instructional strategies improved learners’ language skills–listening and speaking. These studies confirm the interdependence and interconnectedness of language and culture (Adeyinka & Akinsola, 2021), and the postulation that a culturally responsive pedagogy is by necessity a linguistically responsive pedagogy (Weidl et al., 2022). This is why Yorùbá orature, which primarily uses embellished Yorùbá language as a mode of expression and presentation would need to be taught culturally as the incorporation of resource-persons has proven in this study.

In addition, I. T. Akinsola’s (2023) study reported how theater/drama as a culturally responsive pedagogy engaged students in cultural knowledge creation, negotiation and dissemination. This gives support to the findings of this present study. Students through the incorporation of resource-persons had the first-hand experience of creating, negotiation and dissemination of Yorùbá cultural knowledge.

The findings of this study stand in contrast to those of Rivera (2024), who questioned the hypothesis that culturally responsive education enhances students’ learning outcomes. This divergence also departs from the conclusions of several other studies cited earlier. It is worth considering that these differing results may be attributable, at least in part, to differences in research design. While both this study and many others directly examined the implementation of culturally responsive instruction, Rivera (2024) employed a quantitative, causal-comparative retrospective approach focused on correlating teachers’ cultural competence with student achievement. Such an approach may not fully capture the impact of culturally responsive practices unless the instructional context is also taken into account. As Gay (2018) has argued, culturally responsive education extends beyond teachers’ individual competencies and encompasses curriculum content, pedagogical strategies, and the nature of teacher–student relationships.

While this study underscores the value of culturally responsive instruction—particularly through the involvement of community resource-persons—it is also important to acknowledge the practical limitations encountered during implementation. Notably, the incorporation of resource-persons as conducted in this work required more time in planning, preparing, delivering and evaluating instruction. The teacher would need extra time to look around for cultural icons who can model the Yorùbá orature performance to students. If such extra time is not feasible, the teacher either uses their leisure time or jettisons the idea completely. This time factor has limited this study to only one school and just three out of the numerous Yorùbá oral genres. The use of only one school constitutes a limitation for the findings of this study, because other factors in addition to the experiment may have contributed to the increase in students’ knowledge of, attitude to and motivation for Yorùbá orature. Similarly, in the experiment conducted in this study, the conventional 40 min allotted to each lesson was not sufficient in fully implementing the resource-person mediated instruction. The researcher resorted to maximizing the 40 min because it was not possible for the school authority to increase it. Therefore, the time allotted to each lesson activity as presented in the Resource-Person-Mediated Instructional Guide was short and may have limited the resource-persons in rendering their performances effectively.

Further studies should consider experimenting with more than one school and employ an experimental design that allows for a control group and moderator variables. This will help ascertain the effect size of the treatment–that is the amount of contribution that the intervention has on students’ learning outcomes. Further studies could also consider incorporating such resource-person mediated activities into school co-curricular activities where more will be made available in a group setting than in the classroom instruction. However, this may not permit a consistent and sustained experiment as conducted in this present study.

5. Conclusions

This article has argued that resource-person mediated instruction is a viable form of culturally responsive education capable of enhancing students’ cultural competence and social relevance. In today’s increasingly diverse world, socio-cultural competence is a critical skill. For individuals in multilingual and multicultural societies such as Nigeria, competence in one’s indigenous culture is foundational to engaging meaningfully with other cultures. The incorporation of resource-persons into Yorùbá orature instruction in a junior secondary school in Ibadan has helped to achieve this in terms of improving students’ cultural motivation, knowledge, awareness and interest through a more engaging and impactful learning environment. Yorùbá language teachers in Nigeria and other indigenous language teachers in African multicultural societies should consider adopting this instructional pattern in improving their students’ learning outcomes. Indigenous language teachers would learn a lot from resource-persons when they engage them as guest observers, contributors or tutors in orature classrooms. Also, pre- and in-service indigenous language teachers should receive training from such resource-persons towards being able to model the Yorùbá orature performance themselves. This can further strengthen community-school collaboration in fostering cultural preservation and sustainability as well as culturally responsive education. Education policymakers in Nigeria and other contexts where indigenous languages and cultures are significant yet often marginalized should create opportunities for such collaborations and provide teachers with the time, support, and incentives needed to implement them effectively.