Bola Atta, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the UBA Foundation, has called on Nigerian girls to embrace the study of history, stressing that it is essential for defining their identity and future direction. She made this statement during the school tour of HerStory of Nigeria, a project by Asiri Magazine, held at Queen's College, Lagos. The initiative aims to document and archive the history of Nigerian women.
Importance of History for the Younger Generation
Atta emphasized the urgency of reviving history education to prevent the current generation from losing touch with the past. She warned that without immediate action, the younger generation might miss out on crucial lessons from history. Quoting philosopher George Santayana, she reminded the audience that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. She clarified that history is not merely a collection of dates, events, and names but serves as memory, identity, and a compass for the future.
Role Models from Nigeria's Past
Atta highlighted notable women in Nigeria's history who led with courage and strength, such as Queen Amina of Zazzau and Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, who stood for justice. She argued that these examples prove women have always been central to the nation's story. Initiatives like HerStory of Nigeria exist to remind every girl that she belongs in the national narrative, not as a footnote but as a central voice. Atta reiterated the UBA Foundation's commitment to ensuring every African girl has the opportunity, tools, and confidence to rise.
Asiri Magazine's Vision
Oludamola Adebowale, publisher of Asiri Magazine, explained that HerStory of Nigeria is dedicated to properly documenting the history of Nigerian women, archiving it, and building a unified digital repository for researchers, teachers, and lecturers across generations. He described it as a legacy project aimed at reaching the entire country by telling these stories in diverse languages and multiple perspectives.
Queen's College Old Girls Association Contributions
Temitayo Okunoren-Makindipe, President of the Queen's College Old Girls Association, recalled that the school produced several pioneering women, including the first Nigerian woman with a published work in English, the first female doctor to graduate from a Nigerian university, the first female Nigerian newspaper editor, the first female Nigerian judge, the first female permanent secretary, the first female vice-chancellor of any Nigerian university, and Africa's first female doctor of English literature, among others. She announced the reinstitution of the Lady Elizabeth Clifford Scholarship Award for the best-performing JSS1 students, covering all fees, books, PTA levy, and house dues for JSS2. Additionally, the association established the Lady Oyinkan Abayomi Prize for Excellence for the student with the best all-round performance in character, behavior, and academics.
British High Commission Remarks
Simon Field, Deputy Head of Missions at the British High Commission, noted that learning history is not about looking backward but about looking forward with understanding. The event also served as the launch of the magazine.
