Beyond Foreign Tongues: Building Your Legacy Through the Power of African Languages with Professor Desire Baloubi
In the world of global business and high-level entrepreneurship, we are often told that English is the “language of money.” We are conditioned to believe that to scale, to reach the masses, and to be taken seriously, we must polish our foreign tongues while letting our mother tongues gather dust. But what if the very thing you are neglecting, your native language, is actually the Signature Asset you need to withstand the storms of the modern market?
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
Professor Desire Baloubi, a distinguished linguist and scholar, speaking to Obehi Ewanfoh during the interview, argues that language is not just a means of communication; it is the “clear window” into the soul of a people.
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The Full Interview With Professor Desire Baloubi
When we lose our language, we don’t just lose words; we lose our Generational Anchor. We lose the unique way we solve problems, the way we connect with our community, and the very foundation of our sovereignty.
Who is Professor Desire Baloubi?
To understand the weight of this message, one must look at the man delivering it. Dr. Desire Baloubi is a Tenured Full Professor of English and Linguistics at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
His journey is great proof of the “Roots to Relevance” trajectory. Born and raised in the central region of the Benin Republic, specifically in the village of Karré, he grew up as the son of hardworking farmers who spoke Idaacha, a unique dialect of Yoruba.
“My dad and my mom were farmers; they were not educated in western school at all,” Baloubi recalls. “They both spoke our native language, which is Idaacha. Interestingly enough, I actually researched it as my dissertation topic and finally published it as a book.”
Dr. Baloubi’s academic pedigree is as vast as the continent itself. He served as the Chair of the Department of Humanities at Shaw University and later led the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Norfolk State.
Beyond the lecture hall, he is a cultural bridge-builder, hosting the show “What’s Up Africa?” on Tempo Afric TV.
His life’s work is dedicated to proving that African languages are not “primitive” dialects to be discarded, but sophisticated systems of thought that hold the key to an African renaissance.
The Colonial Scar: From “Whipping” to “Winning”
During his conversation on The Obehi Podcast, Professor Baloubi shared a haunting memory common to many Africans of his generation. In the elementary schools of the colonial and post-colonial eras, speaking a native language was a punishable offense.
“It was sad to know that we were prohibited, we were forbidden to speak our native languages,” he shares.
“If you were caught speaking your native language… they would pass a carry shell or something from one person to the next, and at the end of the day, the teacher would count how many people and line them up. You would be flogged. They would whip you and whip you.”
This “Narrative Fragmentation” is a strategic tool used to sever a leader from their power. When you are forced to think and speak in a language that is “like wearing a coat that is too small for you or too big,” you become a puppet of another culture’s logic.
Baloubi’s mission, and the mission of the AClasses Academy Brand, is to help you decolonize that mindset.
The Importance of Sovereignty in Speech
Sovereignty begins in the mind. If you cannot describe your reality in your own words, you are living in a “rented” reality. Professor Baloubi emphasizes that no nation has ever truly prospered by relying solely on foreign languages.
“No nation on earth has ever prospered or developed through foreign languages and foreign cultures,” Baloubi asserts. “Japan is Japanese language and culture; China is Chinese language… It is only in Africa that you will find that kind of paradise of tradition being ignored.”
Language as a Strategic Business Asset
For the high-level professional, language is more than heritage; it is Intellectual Property. Professor Baloubi breaks down why being multilingual gives you a competitive edge:
- The Pragmatic Advantage: Different languages allow you to build trust in ways English cannot. This is what linguists call Pragmatics. “A Yoruba may not understand an Igbo joke,” Baloubi explains. Knowing the nuances of a culture allows you to navigate complex negotiations that others would miss.
- The Cognitive Boost: Research consistently shows that mother-tongue education improves cognitive development. According to UNESCO 2025/2026 data, children taught in their mother tongue are 30% more likely to read with comprehension by the end of elementary school.
- The “Hidden Code”: Historically, language was used as a tool for survival. “You separate people physically, but they preserve their brains,” Baloubi notes regarding the era of slavery. Today, your language can be the “code” that unites your brand with a loyal, global community.
African Linguistic Statistics
To understand the scale of this asset, consider these figures:
- 2,000+: Total languages spoken across Africa, representing one-third of the world’s linguistic diversity.
- 428: Number of African languages currently classified as “critically endangered” by UNESCO.
- 10%: The estimated percentage of African languages that could disappear within the next century if current trends continue.
- 15%: The rise in school success rates observed in Mozambique after introducing teaching in local languages.
From “Hope Marketing” to “Legacy Building”
Many entrepreneurs in the Diaspora engage in what we call “Hope Marketing”, hoping that their expertise will be recognized in a crowded Western market. But without a Generational Anchor, your message is easily drowned out.
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Professor Baloubi’s life illustrates the Story to Asset Framework perfectly:
- Mission Clarification: He realized that his “Golden Thread” was the preservation of his roots. “As a linguist, you’ve got to be connected to your roots… and collect data to understand what is going on, because languages evolve, develop, and sadly, some die out.”
- Message Crafting: He turned his spoken wisdom into a Signature Asset—his published books and his TV show. He emphasizes that “Language is power; it is related to your brain… it is the only way you can be part of a human society.”
- Message Activation: By using his platform at Norfolk State and Tempo Afric TV, he created a system to influence policy. “I would say to politicians… we need the political will to turn things around… to put more emphasis on our national languages.”
How to Conserve Your Language
Professor Baloubi provides a repeatable methodology for the “Architects” of the Diaspora to protect their linguistic heritage:
- Stop “Mimicking”: “As long as we keep mimicking, we will remain puppets of the foreign powers,” he warns. You must tell your own story in your own terms.
- Own Your Story at Home: Speak the language to your children. “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” Baloubi reminds us. “That generation of people who understand but can’t speak… that language will never be used in their own family. That’s how languages die out.”
- Leverage Technology: We must move beyond the oral stage. In the 21st century, if a language isn’t digital, it’s invisible. Use modern tools to document and archive your institutional wisdom.
“Language is what sets human beings apart from other species… It’s at the core of our humanity. There is no society we can imagine without language.”
Connecting the Diaspora: The AClasses Connection
This interview is just one of over 1,000 conversations hosted on The Obehi Podcast and part of the 2,000+ articles available at AClasses Academy.
We believe that your story is your most valuable currency. Like Professor Baloubi, you have “Institutional Wisdom” that the world needs, but it must be structured and protected.
Are you ready to stop being a consumer of other people’s narratives and start becoming the architect of your own?
“Tomorrow begins today,” Baloubi reminds us. “If you think education is expensive, wait until you try ignorance.”
Take the Next Step Toward Your Legacy
Your language, your culture, and your unique professional journey are the raw materials for your future. Don’t let your “Golden Thread” stay hidden. It is time to move from “Narrative Fragmentation” to a solid, “Rock-Solid” foundation.
Book your free 15-minute Legacy Strategy Call today to design the asset that will tell your story and position you as the ultimate authority in your industry. Book Your Free 15-Min Legacy Call Now
