The Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for restoring history as a subject to Lagos schools’ curricula.
Runsewe, who doubles as president of the Africa Region of World Craft Council (WCC), said he was excited by the timely initiative.
The NCAC boss disclosed that restoring Nigeria’s history to the Lagos curriculum was a welcome strategic decision by Sanwo-0lu, promising to organise a history of Nigeria session for Lagos students during the 35th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in November.
“Strategically, we have school children’s competition on arts, crafts and culture, and definitely history will be part of the subjects we shall introduce to compliment this cheering milestone from the governor of Lagos state,” said Runsewe.
According to him, a foothold has been established in the investment of cultural education and history in NAFEST in the past four years.
He added, “And each state where NAFEST took place, we target and give robust support to children’s theatre, and full compliment to the reenactment of the history of our past heroes who contributed to our political evolution and NAFEST in Lagos will witness a new direction in this aspect.”
Runsewe called on other state governments to follow suit and help restore the history of Nigeria to primary and secondary schools’ curricula to infuse the love of the nation and people’s culture and tradition among young children.
“We must take our children back from foreign cultural influences and help grow their faith and trust in Nigeria through the study of Nigerian history. It is long overdue, and we at NCAC join Lagos governor to celebrate this auspicious engagement by donating History books and narratives on pre-colonial Nigeria at NAFEST to all state participants,” Runsewe further explained.
Lagos will host the 35th edition of the NAFEST in November.
