This elementary school homework sef… most times I’m not sure who the teachers are tasking; the kids or the parents! In my daughter’s school the assignments are designed in such a way that the parent is deeply involved.

I mean when you ask a seven year old to research ‘past Nigerian heroes’, of course, I’m the one that’s going on line to research and collate the material, and that’s just the beginning… having collated all the material (pages and pages of it) you now realise that seven- year-old compositions are mostly made of ten sentences constructed mainly with two, three or max, four letter words; that’s when it dawns on you just how much work you’ve got to do… “With his boundless energy he tenaciously and uncompromisingly pursued his beliefs, principles and ideals for the untrammeled rule of law, undiluted democracy…” really? Which 7 year old talks like that? Nah!All that material – pages and pages of it I repeat – has to be edited and broken down into a language that a 7-year old can understand. *sigh*

‘ …. NnamdiAzikiwe was the only person to have his name mentioned in a democratic constitution…’ I turn to my daughter. “Do you know what a constitution is?” she nods her head earnestly and says with a conviction born out of innocence … “yes! It’s the place where they keep crazy people!” oh my, oh my!

But I guess the teachers know what they’re doing. As we trawl through all the material it now becomes my duty to educate my daughter and recount some of the exploits of our past heroes. She listens in rapt attention to the sequence of events that led to the Biafran war and reasons why Ojukwu was considered a hero.

Her eyes light up as I recount Obafemi Awolowo’s exploits and how he is responsible for many of the progressive social legislations that have made Nigeria a modern nation, why he is called a founding father and how the development and growth of the Western Region was sustained by cocoa. Together we re-examine the legacies ofgreat women like FunmilayoRansomeKuti and Margaret Ekpo; and are reminded of the contributions of modern day heroes like GaniFawehinmi and NojimMaiyegun.

And as we walk down memory lane together, I too am brought into remembrance of where we are coming from and many of our milestones. I am reminded that this place has birthed great people who in turn have berthed great ideas.a

It is indeed a refreshing exercise. Beyond the satisfaction of imparting knowledge, the opportunity to revisit times past and view them through the eyes of a child affords one a perspective (however temporary) one is hard put not to lose in the light of present day realities…

Who knows… perhaps some time in the future we will recapture our glory days…