Seasoned journalist, teacher and poet, Akeem Lasisi, has initiated Phenomenal English, a platform where he teaches English language with videos he will be releasing regularly.
According to him, the Phenomenal English lessons, which will be available on Phenomenal Hub on You Tube, targets all categories of users of the language in Nigeria and beyond.
Lasisi, who has authored several books on the language and in other areas, notes that the initiative aims at addressing problems that militate against quality spoken and written English.
Watch the Intro of Phenomenal English here:
The multi-talented professional, who liberalised the teaching of English through his ‘English Class column in The Punch, notes in a statement that, with the challenges facing the Nigerian educational system, there is the need for an intervention such as Phenomenal English.
He notes, “English is a very important language. Apart from being a global language with over 400 million speakers, it is the language of unity, business, education and status symbol in our country. Unfortunately, competence in it is dwindling by the day. While our educational system is embattled right and left, there is the problem of interference and inherited backlog of errors. But we cannot allow the degeneration the language is suffering to continue. So, Phenomenal English is my own little response to the challenge.
“I am inspired by the success that we have continued to record with ‘Punch English’. The fact, however, is that a lot of people are asking for more – just as I am always willing to experiment with different forms. When I then started recording English lessons and they came out well and impact positively on those who have seen them, I felt we should create an opportunity for millions of others to benefit from the idea.”
Lasisi hopes to work with different organisations in the public and private sectors to deepen and spread the lessons. He cites the example of an initiative coming with Neo Media Limited, which borders on an annual English language competition for secondary schools.
The award-winning writer, who is also an acclaimed performance poet, adds that the video lessons are likely to be dropped twice a week.
A native of Ibadan, Oyo State, Lasisi studied Education/English at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife – after earning the National Certificate in Education (English/Yoruba) from the Oyo (now Osun) State College of Education, Ila-Orangun. After teaching English language and literature for several years, he went into journalism, working with several media houses variously as a proof reader, reporter, staff writer and an assistant editor. Prizes he has won include the Association of Nigerian Authors/Cadbury Poetry Prize (twice) and the National Media Merit Awards.
watch one of the episodes here:
