- We must bring it back in our schools in the nation’s interest
The removal of history from the curriculum of schools in Nigeria is a disservice to our fatherland. The government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which promoted that disservice, clearly gave itself away as a victim of neo-colonialism. For, to be dodgy about the teaching of your past, is to say that your past is inferior to those of other peoples and cultures, and as such is not worthy of any detailed study. This sad realism was highlighted by Senator Ben Murray Bruce, during the Silverbird Extra-ordinary Man of the Year Award to the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At the ceremony, Senator Bruce had admonished his country men and women thus: “As a nation, we have to pay attention to who we are, where we are coming from, and where we are”. Towards that he said “We need to start teaching history in Nigeria because we cannot develop or grow as a country without the concept of history.” Urging him to walk his talk, the APC leader advised the senator to sponsor a private member’s bill, to return the teaching of history to our schools, promising that his spouse, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, would support him in the endeavour.
For us, the concern raised by Senator Bruce makes sense, much as the suggestion by Asiwaju Tinubu. History is very important to us as it is to every other race. For a people who do not know their history are bound to make similar mistake many times. History helps a people to understand their past, and through the benefit of hindsight, avoid the pitfalls of the past. History also helps a people to understand the circumstances of their past, note and promote the good aspects, and use the knowledge and wisdom gained to help chart a better future.
Former President Obasanjo who abrogated the teaching of history during his presidency, like every other past leader, is an important relic of our history, whether for good or for bad. So, their exploits, successes, mistakes and programmes remain benchmarks, from which the present and future leaders could learn. And this can only be possible if history is taught in our schools. For us, it is erroneous to think, as the former leader may have, that the abrogation of history would help wipe from our common memory, the unpleasant parts of our past.
What needs to be done is rather to teach the past, as a lesson for the present and the future. Like every other subject, the curriculum of the subject would be open for scrutiny, both by supervisory authorities and the general public. That way distortions and falsehood would not be allowed to prosper. In our view, it is when the facts are suppressed that a people can be fed with half-truths and lies, in place of facts and figures. Moreover, with the advancement of science, there are snippets of our history available on the go, and access to such snippets may be more dangerous, as the authors may be pursuing a different agenda from the organised proposition of our national story – history, for national development.
If Senator Bruce truly believes that his proposition for the return of history to our national curricula makes sense, then he should join hands with those who think like him, to propose a bill to force that. Perhaps, if the present executive government at the centre thinks differently from its predecessors, it should rescind the strange decision of the past.
We also do not appreciate why state governments have not exercised their prerogative, to encourage the teaching of history in state schools.
Quite unfortunate that teaching of history had been banned in Nigerian schools. Whichever of our leaders gave approval to such policy directive had gone way up to do a great dis-service to our dear motherland. It’s a common word of wisdom that whatsoever or whosoever forgets its source will dry up fast. Someone who don’t understand his/her past cannot make sense of the present talk less of projecting for the future. I only hope and pray that Senator Ben-Bruce Murray will actually walk his talk and lobby other federal lawmakers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to quickly legislate on the rationale for returning to teaching history in Nigerian schools. It’s indeed a task that must be done with a sense of urgency too.