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Poor reading culture destroying Nigerian education –Maurice FangnonBy SIMEON MPAMUGOH
A professor of linguistics, a political philosopher and a rights activist, Maurice Fangnon is the author of the book, Revolutionaire Benin, written in French and predicated on the revolution in Benin Republic. Formerly with the Universitaire du Benin (University of Abumekalive), he is currently the Secretary General, Center for the Defence of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CDHRDA), based in Cotonou, Benin Republic. Literary World cut with him at an event in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
“I have published titles mainly in politics,” he begins, “because I’m a politician, and a Marxist leaning scholar. I believe in socialism. The titles I have in the market in Benin Republic are written in French.”
His leaning towards Marxist is flaunted with pride for the umpteenth time. “I believe in Marxism and Communism,” his voice echoes. “It is only through Communist and the Socialist system that humanity can be saved. The remaining one is a joke and dupe. I counsel people to read Marxists leanings, which the bourgeois cannot allow the masses have access to. Marxists leaning is a philosophy that brings the system of the transformation of the society at the doorstep of the pragmatists, such that the people know why they are suffering and how they can come out of it.”
What is his perception of our reading culture? He regrets that is nothing to write home about. “It is a pity our people are no more reading, especially our youths. The system is destroying education. In Nigeria, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination debar youths and our children access to education. It is antagonist to the progress of the nation.”
If he had his way, he would like us to remove every bottleneck by building enough educational infrastructures and allowing our children enter school after their Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), and only impose other examinations thereafter. “This would help stop our children from staying at home for 3-5 years doing nothing other than waiting for JAMB before having access to education. It will equally assist to minimize crime and laziness, because, when children have to wait for JAMB for 5 years after leaving school, they lose interest in education and reading further,” he reasons.
“This is why today every child wants to become a footballer and musician. Which country has developed with football and music? It is through education and technology countries are being developed. But we are forcing our children into music and football to develop.”
The highly critical author also laments that politics today is the propagation of churches. He isn’t happy that churches are telling people that salvation is in the hands of God for a nation endowed with enormous resources from the same God.
“It is another barrier to the progress of our nation. This is everywhere, including Ghana, Benin and Togo, where people indulge in propagation of prosperity and salvation without applying themselves to reading books where we have every solution to problems. Karl Max said, ‘Philosophers had interpreted the world in different ways, what is important is for us to transform the world for our own existence.’
How does he combine scholarly work with human rights advocacy? “It is not easy, because we are always indicted of inciting students,” he responds. “Sometime ago, when I was in Benin Republic, the State Security was always behind me. They said we were the ones inciting students. But we don’t incite students; we are teaching them the way to their freedom. Freedom is for the development of our nation.
“This is why I refused to accept teaching job in government schools. In my private institution, I train people in French, Spanish and Portuguese languages so that they can know how to read and write other people’s language. We also have People’s University other called Universite Populi. We prefer teaching in those universities, because there are no restrictions,” he says.
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