Preservation of Nigerian Heritage – SS1 Citizenship & Heritage Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Preservation of Nigerian heritage is the work of protecting our languages, festivals, buildings, food and traditions so that future generations can enjoy them.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain why heritage can be lost if it is not cared for;
2. state the ways the government helps to preserve Nigerian heritage;
3. describe the roles of the community and the family in preserving heritage;
4. list the challenges of preserving heritage;
5. suggest what they can do personally to protect their heritage.

What is heritage?

Heritage is the culture, history and natural treasures passed down to us from earlier generations.

There are three kinds of heritage: tangible, intangible and natural.

Why must we preserve heritage?

We preserve heritage because it can be lost for ever if nobody cares for it.

• Loss of buildings: if an old palace crumbles and nobody repairs it, that heritage is gone.
• Loss of language: if children no longer speak a language, it dies out.
• Identity: heritage tells us who we are and where we come from.
• Learning: old objects and stories teach us the history and morals of our people.
• Income: festivals and monuments attract visitors, which brings money to communities.

Keeping our “treasure chest” safe is teamwork between the government, the community and the family.

What is the role of the government?

The government protects heritage on a large scale, so it is called the “Chief Guardian” of our culture.

• Creating laws: laws make it a crime to steal ancient artefacts (like the Benin Bronzes) or to destroy historical buildings.
• Building museums: agencies like the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) build safe places to keep our ancient art so that everyone can see it.
• Funding repairs: the government provides money to fix old monuments like the Walls of Benin or ancient palaces.
• Education: putting “Heritage Studies” on the school timetable helps you not to forget your roots.
• Tourism promotion: the government tells the world about our festivals (like the Argungu Fishing Festival), which brings in money to keep those traditions going.

What is the role of the community?

The community keeps heritage alive every day by practising it.

• Traditional rulers: Emirs, Obas and Obis are custodians of culture. They organise festivals and make sure the history of the town is passed to the next generation.
• Cultural festivals: a community that gathers for the New Yam Festival or a Durbar is practising its heritage.
• Protecting local sites: villagers can stop developers from building a shopping mall on a sacred grove or a historical landmark.
• Local language centres: some communities run after-school lessons that teach children local dialects and folk songs.

What is the role of the family?

Preservation starts in the family because parents and grandparents are a child’s first teachers.

• Speaking the mother tongue: speaking the local language at home is the easiest way to preserve it. If parents do not speak it to their children, it can die in one generation.
• Storytelling: stories told by grandparents (such as “Tales by Moonlight”) carry the morals and history of your people.
• Traditional cooking: learning to cook local dishes like Miyan Kuka, Ofe Akwu or Amala keeps food heritage alive.
• Naming ceremonies: giving children traditional names with deep meanings, and not only foreign names, preserves heritage.

How do the three roles compare?

What are the challenges of preserving heritage?

There are four main challenges: urbanisation, Westernisation, poverty and neglect.

What can you do as a student?

You do not need to be the President to protect our heritage, because you can start today.

• Be proud: never feel ashamed of your traditional clothes or your food.
• Speak your language: use your mother tongue at home with family.
• Ask questions: ask your parents about your village, your clan and your history.
• Visit museums: on an excursion, pay attention to the stories behind the objects.
• Write it down: record your grandmother’s stories in a diary so you can tell your own children one day.

Evaluation

1. State three ways the government helps to preserve Nigerian heritage.
2. What does NCMM stand for, and what does it do?
3. Explain why the family is the place where heritage preservation starts.
4. List the four challenges that make preservation hard.

Class reflection activity

1. Name one thing your parents have taught you about your culture that you want to teach your own children in the future.
2. In your opinion, who has the biggest job in protecting our heritage: the government or the family? Give one reason for your answer.

Assignment

Group work: Imagine your school wants to host a “Heritage Day.” List three activities you would include to show the different cultures in your class.