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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, make a hero of a warrior 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 head.

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 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 civilised behaviour, and therefore should be discouraged in our
classrooms. Incidentally, not many Nigerian faithful have realised 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.
Gandoki and our school system
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