The richness of radio in local languages
Audio 02:33
Ibrahima Ba is one of the editorial staff of RFI mandenkan and fulfulde.
© Sylvain Cherkaoui
By: Amaury de Rochegonde Follow
6 min
RFI is developing in local African languages, and in particular in Fulfulde, with a schedule offering regular meetings throughout the week, in parallel with specific programming in Mandenkan.
Publicity
For the past month, there have been two new stations, based on RFI, which broadcast two hours a day in Mandenkan (or Mandinka) languages as well as in Fulfulde, the Fulani language.
The radio is heard in these African languages in an area of 85 million speakers in West Africa, 130 million if we add Hausa, initiated in 2007.
It doesn't sound like much, but the radio in the local language is a bit like the radio “at the end of the road”, as Frédéric Garat, the coordinator of this mixed editorial team of 27 journalists based in Dakar, says.
In other words, it is the possibility for non-French speakers to discover RFI, not necessarily in large cities, but in the countryside or in small towns far from the capital.
In total, RFI in Mandenkan and Fulfulde benefits from 28 FM transmitters, from Marqua in Cameroon to Rosso in Senegal, via Bouaké in Ivory Coast or Gao in Mali.
The area is covered by these FMs, but also by shortwave and 125 partner radios.
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To read also: At the heart of the new writing of RFI in Fulfulde-Mandenkan
RFI is not the only one to broadcast in African languages.
Since 2017, the BBC, which already broadcasts in four languages - Hausa, Swahili, Somali and Kiroundi - has grown to ten African languages.
As for Voice of America, it does even better since it has editions in thirteen local languages on the continent.
Why is it so important to speak these languages?
Well first of all because it is, it must be said, the opposite of colonization.
It is not a question of imposing one's language, but of giving its place to the language of the other.
It is a form of recognition of a cultural contribution.
Especially since we deal, in these local languages, with international news, such as the intrusion into the Capitol or the fear of the capture of Bangui by the rebels.
Then, listening in the African language is often an opportunity to discover the rest of the grid in French or in English.
Far from competing with international radio, a local edition can, on the contrary, serve as a stepping stone.
Finally, and above all, it is the best way to fight fake news, especially in the midst of a pandemic, with
Priorité santé
, but also to ensure the promotion of women, the defense of the environment, the spirit of dialogue or richness of meetings.
The CEO of France media world, Marie-Christine Saragosse, does not hide it
: it is a question of "
contributing to the stabilization and sometimes to the appeasement of certain tensions between communities
".
Listening to different points of view, and not only those of the authorities, is also a way of discovering what constitutes the very essence of democratic life.
• RFI Fulfulde
• RFI Mandenkan
RFI offers you more mandenkan and fulfulde!
Marie-Christine Zaragoza explains
Marie-Christine Saragosse, CEO of FMM © RFI
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