Monday 7 April 2014
I grew up in Owerri, a particularly insular town in Eastern Nigeria. I was born near Owerri, had all my education up to university level in the town, and the much I knew about the Yorubas and the Hausa - aside from the tiny bit of history from social studies – was what they did to us during Biafra and how these two tribes are still marginalizing us till date. I was in my first year in university when I first learnt that Itsekiri is a tribe in Nigeria, yeah I was that ignorant. Actually, I have to say that until about ten years ago, I thought all Northerners were either Hausa or Fulani. Such embarrassment I got when I served in Adamawa and I hardly met anyone who didn’t was that they weren’t Hausa. I felt like a dunce indeed.
Imagine therefore how I felt when I heard the news that history was
being taken off the educational curriculum. What I thought was, was it there in
the first place? If it was, it must have been optional or ‘relegated’ to the
arts classes – where the so-called serious students who wanted to make
something of their lives steered clear of. I had wanted to choose arts in
senior secondary, but you all know how e dey be na? My parents had illusions
about me becoming a lawyer. Besides, I thought biology was pretty interesting
subject. I did exceptionally well at GSCE for biology, so it wasn’t merely
‘that’ kind of biology I had in mind ;)
Having this background and
feeling my deficiencies, I do take interest in learning about history. I read
lots of historical novels. Sadly, I had to admit, I do then to read far more
European historical novels than Nigerian – something I need to do something
about as a matter of urgency. When you are a mother, you think beyond what you
are learning for yourself. But what you are learning for your child. I am on a
mission to make a reader out of bomboy. Not just fiction like me. As much as I
have got a wealth of information out of novels, once in a while one gets a
foot-in-the-mouth moment like when I was asking this Irish co-worker while I
was still in London why the English impoverished them. I could just see her
rolling her eyes and going, “seriously?” Baabu, bomboy will be a man of the
world – a knowledgeable fellow, if I can help it.
It was with bomboy in mind that I had a look at Giants of History,
a coffee table about historical figures of Nigerian descent. People who
succeeded in various worthy pursuits, at such large scale to earn them this
rather lofty but nonetheless deserved title of giant of history. People like Wole
Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Nelson Mandela, Babatunde Jose, Madam Tinubu, , Usman
Danfodio, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, among many other known and unknown innovative
figures of history. Above all, the author, Lateef Ibirogba, approaches the history
from a different and original perspective. It profiles the man and women that
the author admires, tells the story of their lives in two pages each. At two
pages devoted to each giant, it isn’t a comprehensive biography but a great
starting point for the layman. And I don’t think anyone is more a layman than I
am, really. Non-fiction isn’t generally my kind of thing, but I have found this
non-fiction quite riveting. I got an early look – you know, long legs
hehehehehehe. Oya, make I give una a peep too. Go to http://www.ktravula.com/2014/04/on-the-giants-of-history-book-review/
for a review of the book and come back to tell me what you think.
Giants of History is a coffee-table treasure for readers, writers,
journalists, students, and other research or history-oriented readers.
Published by Sage Publishers in Lagos, it features a profile of 150 “giants”
so-called because of their role in shaping the world mostly for the better, and
being pioneers that left the world way different than they met it. Think of
Nigeria, and the kinds of books you read as a child that made the most impact
on you. If that list is topped by books about history or about the biographies
of great men and women that have lived and died, then this book is for you.
There have been similar books like this in the past, notable of
which is Sanya Onabamiro’s Philosophical Essays (1980) in which the author
examines the past through the acts and eyes of great men of history. With
Lateef Ibirogba’s style of limiting each profile to two pages, the book gets enough
space to accommodate a number of historical figures. It also gives equal space
to each represented “giant” in a way that can be consumed at the time it takes
to eat a cookie at the reception desk of a dentist. A number of non-Nigerians
are featured too, for instance Aristotle, Plato, Marie Carie, The Wright
Brothers, Deborah Sampson, Johannes Gutenburg, and Mary Seacole.
Giants of History is highly recommended for students, particularly
in this age when history is no longer required in the secondary school
syllabus. It will also be a fantastic addition to the shelves of journalists,
doctors, writers, teachers, lawyers, broadcasters, academics, and a whole
number of people who are interested in looking at the past with a view to
understanding and appreciating the present.
Lateef Ibirogba was born in October 1960, and has worked as a
journalist (with the Punch and Daily Times) and as a publisher, among other
endeavours. He is currently the Commissioner for Information in Lagos State.
Giant of History is set to be launched on April 22nd at the Civic Centre,
Victoria Island, Lagos. The book reviewer is Barrister Tade Ipadeola, author
and lawyers, and winner of the 2013 Nigerian Prize of Literature. It will be
available for purchase at popular online bookstores after the book launch.
I have an entry pass for the book launch, but will be at Enugu on
the day. Anyone wants has a bit of time on their hands and fancies attending on
my behalf, let me know.
Ciao
