Final answer:
Option C) written languages is correct because the advancement of governmental structures and robust trade networks in West African empires like the Mali necessitated the development of written records for administration and trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
In West African empires like the Mali, "oral tradition" became a less-important way to pass down written languages, making option C) the correct answer.
These empires, notably the Ghana Empire and the Mali Empire, had advanced governmental structures and robust trade networks that necessitated the development and use of written records for administrative purposes.
Over time, as these empires came into contact with other cultures, such as through trade with Islamic nations and the spread of Islam, the use of written language became more prevalent.
This was partly due to the need to maintain trade records, governmental administration, and the documentation of laws.
Oral traditions, while still important culturally, became less central to the exercise of power and governance.