Nigeria
Journal of
Educational
Research
(NIJER)
Vol. 1 Number 1 1995.
ISBN-987-31715-6-0
CONTENT
The Role of Literature in Preparing the Nigerian Child for the Challenges of the
21 st Century
Bukoye Arowolo
125
THE ROLE OF LITERATURE IN PREPARING THE NIGERIAN CHILD FOR THE
CHALLENGES OF THE 21 ST CENTURY.
BUKOYE AROWOLO
Department of Modern European Languages,
University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
Introduction
The year 2000 has become the magic year for humanity. For the developed world, it is the year
when Man’s civilization is expected to reach the greatest heights and man would sit back and
watch his technological creation to do all he needs to do. In Nigeria, as in all other developed
countries euphemistically called the Third World, so much optimism awaits the advent of this
magic year. In accordance with this thinking, the year 2000 would usher in education for all
Nigerian children, good health and medical care would be within the reach of every Nigerian
wherever he, is; there would be shelter for all Nigerians by the \ear 2000. It is in fact the year,
when all the, socio-economic and developmental problems of Nigeria would be solved.
Role Envisaged for-the Nigerian Child:
"The child is lather of the Man" so says Wordsworth (1963). The roles that the Nigerian child is
expected to play in the 21st century is that of building the Nigerian nation and of leading her to the
"land lull of milk and honest. The National Policy on Education (1977) emphasises "the
integration ol the individual not a sound and effective citizen who would help in the building of:
12.
3.
4.
5.
a free and democratic society;
a just and egalitarian society;
a united, strong and self-reliant nation;
a great and dynamic economy; and
a land of bright and lull opportunities for all citizen.
The Nigerian child and the present society:
Example, as the saying goes, is better than precepts. In the late 20th century. Nigeria in spite ol
this philosophy of education, the country is moving further and further away from a free and
democratic society, with the military intervention in the affairs of governance and installing
themselves in power. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has had less than ten years of
democratic rule.
The. nation's economy has been battered by self-serving leaders. The Ethnic diversity which ought
to serve as a source of strength has been turned into a tool of weakness and disunity. The Nigerian
child today watches all these, happen before his very eves and is astonished.
The school system, where operation is supposed to be solidly based on a sound philosophy of
education, has become a place on unbridled adoption of modern science and technology.
Everything is being done, to turn Nigerian schools into science and technology schools to propel
the country into the prestigious group of technologically advanced countries. Like Grading in
Dicken's Hard Times (1954) the Nigerian nation wants her child to be open to "circles of science"
The child should learn only facts, and act and think with mathematical exactitude. All this to the
detriment of mind-forming humanity subjects as literature. As the, utilitarian of the industrial
revolution England, our education policy executors, believe that the Nigerian child has no business
cultivating "sentiments and affection" because the spring of technological arts and the mystery of
educating the reason li e in science. They seem to have forgotten the philosophy underlying
the Nigerian Educational Policv; that of building a humane society. They have also
apparently forgotten an important aim of education explicitly stated in the policy; that of
equipping, the child for LIVING in the modern age of science and technology.
At a time, the, Nigerian child should be prepared not only for acquiring modern technology bur
also for coping with it especially in (he 21st century, he is only being made to "receive," it. It
is worthy of note that most of the problems of industrial revolution in Europe were essentially
as a result of lack of adequate control. According to Thompson (1974) Europe has been
committed to callous urbanization and secularization on a large, scale. It is this same process,
the bane of the West that the Nigerian society is imbibing in he name of transfer of
technology, a technology that lacks human lace and which only answers national needs while
ignoring the emotional needs of the man. It is dangerous lor a Third World society as Nigeria to
acquire this kind of technology without any humanistic education. The trend is criticised by
Dubos (1972):
“There is something fundamentally irrational is a society which makes the
ways of life of its members conform to the efficiency of technological
operations, rather than individual needs and aspirations”
Scientific and technological development has changed inter-personal relationships and has
complicated them. Industrialization, a feature of technological development has its consequence
since the 19th century in the industrialized world. It has led to the doctrine of individualism which
tends to detach the individual from the collective will of his fellowmen. The basic principle of “my
brother’s keeper” has yielded to the philosophy of “everyone for himself”. This virus of
individualism is gaining grounds by the day in the Nigerian society as a result of the unbridled
adoption and acquisition of modern technology. We have refused to learn the lesson from the
science-oriented society and adapt what is transferred to us to our particular situation. As a result,
the negative repercussion on man in these advanced societies is bound to repeat itself in Nigeria.
According to Aldis: (1970):
"Western man has achieved h i s t e c h n o l o g i c a l s u c c e s s b y MAIMING himself;……
We are
Not instructed in what we are, or on how we can become ourselves more fully or in how
we best understand ourselves, and through ourselves other”.
This alienating Western system described by Aldis is applicable to the present Nigeria
Educational System. This is corroborated by M How (1977), in his description of African
Educational System in the Colonial era which is s t i l l applicable to the Nigerian situation.
Me writes that:
"Cette ecole che.rc.he bien a mettre l’eleve en possession de connaissances nouvelles en
enrichissant son savoir et son experience, mais par le contenu de ces programmes, par ses
methods, et aussi, il faut avoir le courage de le dire, SON ROLE EST SOUVENT PEU EN
MATIERE D’EDUCATION
(This school seeks lo make the child possess new knowledge by enriching his learning
and experience, hut the content of these programmes, its methods and also, it has to
he said, ITS ROLE IS OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO EDUCATION.).
We find this assertion still relevant to the present Nigerian Education System which ignores
the total development of the child in the name of science and technology.
The dehumanizing nature of technology as practiced in the West should be an eye-opener to our
education policy makers and we should learn our lessons early enough in preparing the Nigerian
child for the 21st century.
Literature should serve as a ready antidote to the deterioration of cheri shed human and
traditional values as moral and good interpersonal relationships, incorporating the readiness
to he one's brother's keeper and to serve humanity. It would be possible for the Nigerian
child of the 21st century to absorb and equip himself with modern technology as well as
retain his basic humanity and humanness Most West African authors have excellently
depicted the beauty of African communalism, which if well blended with the technological
advancement could help the child to adjust to the evolving social system.
He would he prevented from unwholesome and alien ideology of individualism which makes good
interpersonal relationship difficult. Some of the master-pieces in this domain are Chinua
Achebe's M; Longer at Ease (1963) where he shows that even in the modern age, the traditional
spirit of eommunahsm is still, to a great extent, possible. Sons and daughters of Unuofia
come together to help one another in far away Lagos. The solidarity of the Umuofia
Progressive Union with Obi during the dark days, even when he is considered a prodigal son is
a manifestation of this spirit. Sembene Ousniane (1957. 1959) is another African novelist who
believes in using this doctrine to solve the modern problems. An exposure of our 2Ist century
scientists Ousmane's characters like Oumar in "O pays, mnn heaii pinple" (1957) and the
Unionists in "Lex hoins de hois de Dicii" (1959) is likely to'inspire the ch i l d to work for
the community The child would also appreciate the innate warmth and hospitality of the
traditional African.
Literature should also be used us an instrument for the, emotional development of the 21st century
Nigerian child. Human happiness l i es in reaching a balanced adjustment to a l l impulse
and anything that helps to attain this balance is of value. The study of literature provides a
wide range of experiences for striping the child's emotional life. It therefore prepares him for
the last-life and the giddy tension that characterizes the modern age of technology and which
are bound to be, more so in the 21st century. Life in the 21st century, more than now, would
be characterised by division of labour, an inevitable, component of industrial development.
Living would therefore be boring for a man who performs the same duty mechanically
several tunes daily, such a man needs a lot of creative inspiration to remain sane and to
perform as a human being separate from the machine which he operates. The inculcation of
the habit of reading and of responding favourably to literary texts, would help his selfrealization.
Literature not only makes his life more interesting but also sharpens his self awareness, he
becomes more relaxed and thus enhances his effectiveness and productivity. His acquaintance
with the world of beauty would give the 2 1 s t century Nigerian, joy Even Pravda; Soviet
official newspaper is an editorial ( 1 9 7 1 ) cited by Backens' ki (1976) in the hey-days of
communism acknowledges the relationship between the appreciation of works or arts; the link
between beauty and efficiency foe economic progress:
"A person, who looks with indifference at an artist's masterpiece, who does not
notice theatre posters, who turns off the radio at the mention of the word
"symphony\" deliberately impoverishes himself and makes himself a narrow
person, who pursues his own interest. And this cannot jail to affect his work, since
no matter what a man does, whether lie designs machines or stamps our parts from
them. However he penetrated 'he secrets of nature or raises coreal grains, his work
requires not only endurance, and freshness of perception and creative imagination.
Literature is thus a source of joy, inspiration and creative power. Furthermore, we can
point to the scientific use, which literature is put to in modern psychiatry. Psychotherapy
sometimes finds solutions to its patients' adjustment problems in literature. The use of
literature here is important for its reconstruction and representation of real l i f e experience
of the, patient. This has a therapeutic effect on the patient - who on identifying the' l i k e of
himself in the character of a novel, or his emotion or experience in a poem, finds that he, is
not alone, in his problems. No wonder, that Blacks in the diaspora, during their sufferings
as slaves, resorted to the singing of Negro-spirituals to remain sane.
Above all, literature could play the role of molding the child's scientific thoughts. Granted
that science, does not deal with feelings per se. and educated scientist who could appreciate
literature would enjoy his scientific research more. he, also learns to be more creative and
imaginative in his work. Hence lie is able to put some feelings into his scientific "hard
facts" In fact according to Einstein, that great psycist; cited Belenski (1976);
The, teaching of literature therefore enhances the inventive genius of the potential scientist.
The French scientist Jacques Hadamard. also confirmed the importance of feeling to the
scientific discovery and invention Cited by Belenski (1976) Hadamard asserts:
This same role of emotion that could be generated by Literature, is reinforced by yet another
French Scientists in a more, categorical manner when he asserts that the discussions of
mathematical proofs appeal to feelings - associated with the mind. In the light of these
testimonies by scientists themselves, this quality of mind s h o u l d be inculcated in the
Nigerian child as we prepare him lor the 21st century through the study of literature.
On equipping the Nigerian child ' r the 2 1 s t century, and age when greater, scientific and
technological achievements are imperative for Nigeria, the child needs to think logically and
be able to express his thoughts clearly. Literary studies are a singular medium for the,
development of this trait as the child is exposed to the belles lettres and shown the logi cality
of the creative enterprise of various classical authors lie is in this ways prepared for a
meaningful encounter with scientific world.
At this point, it is important to not. that literary studies, being an important tool for language
developments, would enable the Nigerian child explore various possibilities of language use.
The ability to appreciate literature, would help the child to differentiate between its language for
a deep understanding of English Language. A deep understanding of a language cannot he.,
attained without literary studies.
Conclusion:
At the close, of the 20th century, modern technology is already over -reaching itself. Even
in Nigeria, skyscrapers abound in cities without a thought to the human problems that arise with
them, factories are built everywhere without much thought for their implication for human
safety. In the world, space crafts and men continue their voyages of discovery to other
planets. We live in a world threatened by nuclear holocaust, in spite of the disintegra tion of
the Soviet Union. Man is being threatened by his own scientific and technological
knowledge. The head is being trained at the expense of the heart. Such education, apart
from being alien to the Nigerian Cultural values also leads to the creation of heartless
human machines who could neither lead a fulfilled life not interact effectively with others.
To prepare the Nigerian child for living in the 21 st century, literature should be given a
pride of place to enlarge human experiences. If the child (scientist or technologist) is to live
a fulfilling life, we need a review of the policy which relegates literature to the background
for the enthronement of a purely scientific and technological society.
To enable the Nigerian child play his role of building a humane society full of milk and
honey, where freedom and justice would reign in the 21 st century a balance should be
reached between our search for scientific and technological development, and study of
liberal arts, especially literature.
References
Achebe, c. No Longer at Ease, London, Honemoon, 1963, reprinted.
Aldis, B. (1970), The Shape of Further Things to come. London, Corgi, 1970, p.17.
Belanski, C. (1976) “The Role of Literature in the Labour Education of Pupils in Lower
Classes”. Education XVIII October, 1976, p.70.
Dickens, C. Hard Times, Collins 1954, reprinted 1979, London.
Dubos, R. (1972) A God Within, Columbia, Vainby, 1972 p.286
Federal Ministry of Information, National policy on Education, Lagos 1977, p.4.
M’Bow, A. (1977) “Problems generaux de l’enseignement” in Campaire-Sylvanie Nouveau
Dossier, Afrique, paris, Marabout.
Ousmane, S. (1957), O pays, Mon beau people, Paris P.A.
Ousmane, S. (1959) Les Bouts de Bois de Dieu, Paris P.A.
Thompson, D. 91974) The use of Poetry, O.U.P. Cambridge.
Wordsworth, W. (1963) ‘My heart leaps up” In OUP The Concise Oxford Dictionary of
Quotations, London.