Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, says President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that history should and will be reintroduced as a subject in Nigeria’s basic schools.

History, reports indicate, was removed from Nigeria’s basic school curriculum in 2007, eliciting sharp criticism that spanned years.

In many cases from then on, historical topics were taught with little depth as part of “social studies”.

In 2018, the federal government ordered the nationwide re-introduction of history as an independent subject in the curriculum of primary and junior secondary schools in the country.

Adamu Adamu, the then minister of education, had stated that the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) would need to first carry out a disarticulation of history from the social studies curriculum.

He said a curriculum would be designed with topics to help students appreciate history as a national integration and nation-building tool.

The ex-minister said a total of 3,700 history teachers were shortlisted for the first round of training to enhance the teaching of history.

Education ministries at the state level, including those of Lagos and Taraba, have since been moving to implement the federal policy.

Tunji Alausa spoke on a Tuesday Channels TV show where he expressed concern that Nigeria’s youth are disconnected from its history.

“Let me go to basic education, the curriculum is good. What has been missing in the past is Nigerian history. We now have people of 30 years disconnected from our history. It doesn’t happen in any part of the world,” the minister said.

“President Bola Tinubu has mandated that we put that back in our curriculum and that is back. From 2025 our students in primary and secondary schools will have that as part of their studies.”

The governing council of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has approved the appointment of Aisha Maikudi as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor (VC) of the institution.

The council, headed by the retired air vice-marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita, spoke at its 77th “extraordinary meeting” on December 31.

Maikudi’s appointment, the council said, takes effect from January 1, 2025, and it is for a nonrenewable tenure of five years.

It said Maikudi emerged as the best among the 10 shortlisted candidates and was interviewed by the joint council and senate selection board (JCSSB) of the university.

Before she was appointed the substantive vice-chancellor, Aisha Sani Maikudi served as UniAbuja’s acting VC from July 5, 2024.

Born on 31st January 1983 in Katsina, Maikudi is a professor of International Law at the institution.

Her education began at Sacred Heart School in Kaduna, where she obtained her first school leaving certificate (FSLC) in 1993.

She proceeded to Queens College in Yaba Lagos, earning her West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1999.

The University of Abuja has denied claims of bias and irregularities in the ongoing selection process for the vice-chancellor.

On Tuesday, a disturbance, purported to be a protest of professors, broke out at the UniAbuja campus.

At the centre of it were moves by the university management to choose members of the VC selection committee board.

Unsubstantiated claims had had it that the governing council was attempting to install Maikudi as the substantive VC, despite her purported ineligibility under advertised criteria.

In a statement on Wednesday, the university dismissed claims that Aisha Sani Maikudi, the acting VC, is being unfairly favoured.

Habib Yakoob, the acting director of information and university relations, said Maikudi’s qualifications show her accomplishments during her tenure.

The university said it is committed to a transparent and merit-based selection process conducted under relevant regulations.