By Msonter Anzaa
Author: Isola
Taiwo
Pages: 40
Publishers: Do it 9ja
Nigeria: Healing the Wounds of
History is a book which focuses on the decay in Nigeria’s
educational system and how it translates to the conditions that predispose this
nation to becoming a failed state – mass unemployment, economic recession,
youth despondency, high crime rate and general mediocrity. The author is a
graduate of Human Anatomy from the University of Maiduguri, a prolific writer
with works in national dailies, and a community volunteer. He draws from his
personal experiences having traveled from several places in the south – where
he originates – to other places in the core north of the country during which
he has conducted seminars and coaching classes for thousands of students.
He
introduces the book by raising thought-provoking and yet palpably true
questions about the quality of graduates produced by our educational system. He
observes that the average Nigerian graduate cannot sustain an intellectual
discussion and warns those whose only desire in the system is the acquisition
of a certificate. In chapter one, he traces the history of Nigeria’s
educational system to the colonial days arguing that Britain’s aim was not to
serve the interests of national development but only to provide manpower which
the colonialists used to exploit the nation. Unfortunately, this trend continued
after independence as Nigerians continued to see “education as an escape route
from poverty and possibly the maintenance of the lifestyle they had seen from
previous colonial masters. Education was not seen as a tool of national
development.”
In
chapter two, he points out the wounds to include the disparity in the level of
education between the north and the south, a distorted view of the purpose of
education, a defective curriculum, an undue emphasis on certificates, and a
defective approach to teaching. In chapter three, he prescribes the remedy for
the wounds to include rethinking our educational system to make it relevant to
practical needs in the society; to mentally liberate rather than enslave those
who are receiving it. To accomplish this, he argues that the system must be
purposeful. Beyond certificate acquisition, he believes Nigeria needs the kind
of education that will intellectually develop our citizens to be able to make
logical and responsible decisions about life. The author uses chapter four to
take a swipe at some destructive practices prevalent in our national life such
as mediocrity and irresponsibility. He laments young people’s complacency in
their approach to life and observes that many of them do not want to pay the
price for outstanding excellence. This passive approach to life makes young
people seek just what they need to qualify for a job rather that develop
themselves to be productive and leading citizens. He urges them to learn to
take early responsibility for their lives and wean themselves off
over-dependence on family and government.
In
chapter five, he challenges young people to assess what they are becoming in
their lives and urges them to be active participants in the process of becoming
the kind of person they desire to be. He urges them to cultivate discipline and
capacity building beyond their academic qualifications. Although his assertion
that “the biggest threats to our prosperity and greatness in this generation
are sports and entertainment” may be thought by some to be rather radical, it
is sadly the truth. The average young man in Nigeria does not invest his
resources in his future. An analysis of their spending habits will reveal that
they spend a staggering percent of their money, time and energy on sports,
movies, music and football, and nearly nothing on their intellectual and moral
development. And in essence, even their quest for education is only to the
extent that it can provide them jobs from which to earn more money to be spent
on the above-listed items. The author argues that young people are not
interested in productive ventures that can create jobs. Instead, they sit at home,
“watching seasonal movies because there are no jobs in Nigeria. If everybody
sits at home like they do, nobody will create the jobs.” Although he does not
intend to excuse the government’s lapses, he queries that if the government is
not making adequate plans for the future of young Nigerians, shouldn’t they
also be responsible and invest wisely in their own future?
In
the last two chapters, he challenges young people to awaken the genius in them
and unleash their productivity on the society. He urges them to “never allow
the school system to stop your creativity.” He challenges them to engage the
power of commitment which will make them delay gratification and discipline
themselves in the pursuit of their life’s objectives. “Commitment causes you to
be different. It births tenacity in you. It makes you look at the world from
the perspective of a difference maker, not a conformist.”
The
book is a brief but incisive diagnosis of the Nigerian problem, although like
others before it, it presents no new truth. However, it captures our pitiable
situation in a portable format and is one of the latest alarms calling Nigeria
to wake up in order to escape imminent sociopolitical collapse. What is needed
is courage and exceptional commitment on the part of our leaders to a total
overhaul of our educational system. At a time when education is rather becoming
a burden to the government’s finances, the solution is not to abandon the
sector to cataclysm via unending strikes, but to rise to the occasion and lay
afresh an enduring foundation for our nation’s economic and social revolution
by putting in place a dynamic and practically relevant educational system. When
we can do that, only then can we heal the wounds which the colonial masters
inflicted on our systems and finally relish our true independence as a nation. Apart
from a few grammatical errors here and there, the book is smooth-reading. I
recommend it to young Nigerians, educators, policy makers and parents who
desire to salvage their future and the future of our nation from impending
doom.
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