A Lagos-based socio-political organisation, BATKORRECT, has taken its campaign for greater appreciation of local history to secondary schools across Lagos State, distributing copies of a book documenting the personalities behind some of the state’s well-known street names.
The initiative, which formed part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, was designed to help students move beyond merely recognising street names to understanding the people, events and contributions that shaped the history of Lagos and Nigeria.
The group distributed copies of Behind The Streets: Inside the World of Personalities Popular Lagos Streets Are Named After, written by Adeshina Oyetayo, to students following a series of book-reading sessions held across three educational districts in the state.
Oyetayo, who serves as Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, used the sessions to introduce students to the lives and contributions of personalities whose names have become part of the everyday geography of Lagos.
The intervention comes at a time when renewed attention is being paid to History education in Nigerian schools, particularly following the reintroduction of History into the basic education curriculum. For students growing up in rapidly changing urban environments, initiatives that connect classroom learning with familiar places could provide a more practical way of understanding the past.
Speaking during a reading session at Mainland High School, Yaba, the Coordinator of BATKORRECT, Victor Ganzallo, said the organisation partnered with Oyetayo to make the publication accessible to young Nigerians.
Ganzallo said the return of History to the school curriculum provided an opportunity for students to learn about prominent Nigerians and understand the lasting impact of their contributions to society.
“With the reintroduction of History into the school curriculum, students now have an opportunity to learn about these important personalities and their lasting impact on society through Oyetayo’s carefully researched work,” he said.
He added that the organisation hoped the students would develop a deeper appreciation of the personalities whose names are attached to major streets across Lagos, noting that some of them made significant contributions and sacrifices towards the development of the country.
The project therefore goes beyond the distribution of another textbook to schools, as it attempts to use the immediate environment of students as a learning resource. A street name that may ordinarily be passed every day without much thought becomes a starting point for conversations about leadership, public service, politics, community development and nation-building.
For History teachers, such materials could also provide useful supplementary resources for making lessons more relatable, particularly where students are able to connect historical personalities and events with locations they encounter in their daily lives.
The book-reading team also visited Osborne Schools Complex, Ikoyi, and Ajayi Crowther Memorial High School, Akoka, as part of the outreach.
The group’s Publicity Secretary, Aminat Elegushi, described the exercise as part of BATKORRECT’s broader community development, educational outreach and public enlightenment activities.
She said the initiative was intended not only to promote reading but also to help young people understand their environment and the historical stories connected to places around them.
“This particular exercise is part of our community development programmes, educational outreaches, and enlightenment initiatives on environmental sanitation and protection,” Elegushi said.
The outreach also highlights the importance of making historical resources available to students at a time when access to appropriate and engaging learning materials remains an important part of strengthening History education.
The renewed teaching of History in schools has created a need for materials capable of presenting historical knowledge in forms that students can understand and relate to. The book’s focus on familiar Lagos streets provides one such approach by linking the past with the physical environment in which young people live.
The initiative was organised as part of the activities surrounding Nigeria’s Independence anniversary and was also positioned as an opportunity to encourage younger Nigerians to appreciate the people and events that contributed to the country’s development.
The book is dedicated to President Bola Tinubu, with Oyetayo crediting him with leadership and transformational legacies in Lagos State.
The latest educational outreach followed an earlier BATKORRECT intervention involving the distribution of cooking gas to vulnerable households across Lagos, reflecting the organisation’s combination of community support and public enlightenment activities.
Elegushi also acknowledged the support of the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, for the organisation’s programmes.
As History continues to regain space within Nigeria’s education system, initiatives such as the Lagos book-reading and distribution project underscore the need to make the subject more connected to students’ everyday experiences. For many learners, understanding the history of a street, community or landmark may provide a more immediate entry point into the broader story of Lagos and Nigeria.
