It's important for this generation to know Nigeria's history

 

 “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it"- Edmund Burke

The Lagos state government is making plans to bring back history to its schools.

On Tuesday, July 4, 2017, the Lagos state house of assembly passed a resolution to have History as a subject in its schools.

"Our history and collective patrimonies should be taught in schools to address some of the fundamental issues on nation building and give us direction. Without history, we are a lost race; it is through history we know our origin and tradition.

play Madam Efunroye Tinubu, the Egba amazon
(Black Past )

"We need to resuscitate it and make its teaching compulsory. Without our history, there is no way we can develop. The importance of history to mankind can’t be overemphasised because it helps us to remember the past and shape our future.

"No one can kill history no matter how he tries. The earlier we bring back teaching of history in our schools, the better for us" said  Deputy Majority Leader, Olumuyiwa Jimoh.

play Olumuyiwa Jimoh
(Nigerian Biography )

This is a welcome development from the Lagos state. The removal of History from Nigerian schools indicates that we as a people do not have a clear-cut direction to where we are going. If you don't know where you are coming from, you can't know where you are going to.

We have millennials who don't know the history of Nigeria apart from the general basic dates and events. The civil war is not taught in schools.

The younger generation doesn't know the stories of iconic Nigerian figures such as Madam Tinubu, Queen Amina, the founding fathers and Bishop Ajayi Crowther.

play Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther

This is one of the reasons why the nation lacks a sense of identity. Nigeria is both anonymous and confusing. A nation that does not know its history will keep going round in circles.

Much has been said about the new generation of young Nigerians and their level of patriotism. You can't blame young adults for not being head over heels for their country when they do not know its history.

Hopefully, this move by the Lagos state government gets to the desired end and kids get to learn about the past so as to avoid making the same mistakes tomorrow.