Cultural icon and education advocate, Oloye Lekan Alabi, has commended the Federal Government’s decision to reintroduce History as a compulsory subject in Nigeria’s basic and secondary school curriculum, describing the move as timely and critical to national development.
Speaking in an interview, Alabi said the prolonged absence of history from the school system had left many Nigerians, particularly young people, disconnected from the country’s rich heritage and foundational experiences.
According to him, generations of Nigerians grew up without a structured understanding of the nation’s past, a gap he believes has negatively affected civic awareness, leadership values and national cohesion.
“History has been long gone in our educational system, and now we see so many adults who don’t even know the basic history of our country because they were never taught,” Alabi said. “There is no way we can move forward as a nation without first understanding our origins and where we are coming from.”
Alabi stressed that the study of history provides essential lessons that help societies avoid past mistakes and make informed decisions. He noted that restoring history to the curriculum would help young Nigerians better understand the country’s struggles, achievements and cultural identity.
He added that a strong historical foundation is necessary for building responsible citizenship and long-term national progress.
“We cannot build a better future if we do not first know where we came from,” he said. “It is only by learning about our past, our culture and our struggles that we can truly understand how to move forward.”
Education stakeholders have described the policy shift as a significant step toward strengthening civic education and preserving Nigeria’s historical consciousness.
