Humanists (in Nigeria) are campaigning for the removal of Gandoki story contained in modules four, five and seven of the Macmillan Primary English Course Book Five. This story, which has been read by generations of Nigerian School pupils, makes a hero of a war chief named Gandoki; who is also a storyteller. It encourages violence and unsound attitudes. Gandoki, we are told, "loved fighting" and was "everywhere there was trouble". The story glorifies the use, potency and efficacy of charms.
Humanists (in Nigeria) are campaigning for the removal of Gandoki story contained in modules four, five and seven of the Macmillan Primary English Course Book Five. This story, which has been read by generations of Nigerian School pupils, makes a hero of a war chief named Gandoki; who is also a storyteller. It encourages violence and unsound attitudes. Gandoki, we are told, "loved fighting" and was "everywhere there was trouble". The story glorifies the use, potency and efficacy of charms.
Charms, it says, kept Gandoki "safe from all danger". "I lived a charmed life". Gandoki boasted and he went further to say "I am the sword that breaks all other swords". Thanks to his charms. In Module five, the story promotes witchcraft and occultism. In the course of narrating his own story, Gandoki told the children how he "prayed to God and I struck Hambama's leg with my stick. Fire came out of the tree and burnt Hambama badly". Of course, it was his fervent prayer that caused the fire to come out.
Again, the Gandoki story encourages religious hatred, intolerance and bloodshed. As the story goes, Gandoki "took part in every battle which Fulani fought against the unbelievers". And in Module five, Gandoki told Hambana, his sons and townsmen, "if you follow Islam, I will let you go free. If you don't follow Islam, I will cut off your heads". As if this horrible message is not enough, in the question and answer section, the students are asked, "what did Gandoki say would happen to them if they didn't follow Islam" of course, they are expected to answer. He would cut off their heads.
And in Module seven, we are told that Gandoki travelled from place to place and taught people about Islam: "I killed those who would not pray to God".
That means he massacred infidels-Christians, animists, humanists etc. And when his life came under threat in "the land of Jinn", Gandoki said he cried "God is great". My sword hung by my right hand, my spear was by my side. I went forward fearless". Also, the story promotes cannibalism. In Module five, Gandoki narrated his meeting with Gurungun Hamabana: "when Hamabana saw me with my men, he called five of his sons "bring those men here", he said, pointing towards us, I will have them for my breakfast". For his breakfast indeed.
Generally, humanists consider the Gandoki story with the horrible pictorial illustrations on pages 20 and 34 immoral, very dangerous and harmful to the minds of Nigerian school pupils and youths. Humanists are of the view that reading modules should aim at in inculcating the values of liberty, fraternity, equality, tolerance, critical thinking, creativity, scientific temper and technological intelligence. Incidentally this is not the case with Gandoki story.
If we continue to do so, how then do we hope to wipe out religious hatred and violence? In fact, the whole idea of beheading those who will not follow a particular religion or killing those who will not pray to God is barbaric, primitive, inhuman and against all canons of modern life, basic humanism and civilized behaviour, and therefore should be discouraged in our classrooms. Incidentally, not many Nigerian faithful have realized this.
Furthermore, the message in Gandoki story conflicts with the objectives of Nigeria's National Policy on Education (NPE). The NPE aims at the building of (1) "a free and democratic society; (2) a just and egalitarian society; (3) a united strong and self-reliant nation; (4) a great and dynamic economy; (5) a land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens". But the kind of society envisioned in Gandoki story is one that is theocratic, volatile unjust and oppressive - a society where life is bloody, brutish, nasty and short.
Again, the immoral lessons in the story do not accord with the values, which the NPE aims at inculcating. The values include (1) "respect for the worth and dignity of the individual; (2) faith in man's ability to make rational decisions; (3) moral and spiritual values in interpersonal and human relations; (4) shared responsibility for the common good of the society; (5) respect for the dignity, emotional and psychological health".
Gandoki story does not accord with the objectives of NPE on primary education which includes the laying of a sound basis for scientific and reflective thinking, citizenship education as a basis for effective participation in and contribution to the life of the society; character and moral training and the development of sound attitudes.
The violent messages in the story undermine the intellectual, emotional and psychological health of children and predispose them to religious fanaticism and violence. The glorification of the use of charms and superstition destroys any basis for scientific and rational thinking in children. Humanists are outraged to know that such an obnoxious story was adjudged to have met the criteria of the New Nigeria National curriculum and the National Policy in Education. Humanists are therefore appealing to the Macmillan (Nigeria) Publishers Ltd and all stakeholders in Nigerian Educational curriculum to remove Gandoki story for the sake of peace, tolerance, pluralism, co-operation and progress in Nigeria.
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