Alongside maths and reading, pupils at a primary school in Lagos are learning about the harms of corruption in one of the most corruption-prone countries in the world.
Seated together in the playground, Nigerian children around the age of 10 read aloud from Ansa’s Speech, after which they are asked questions about the book.
Ansa’s Speech tells the story of a 13-year-old girl chosen to deliver a speech at her school to mark an important anniversary. However, the day before, events go awry due to bribery and corruption.
The lesson at the school in the Ketu neighbourhood concludes with an engaging, instructive game.
Ansa’s Speech has recently been added to the list of recommended books for schools by Lagos state authorities in the economic capital of Africa’s most populous country.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos state governor, assumed office in May last year, pledging to crack down on graft in the nation.
Nigeria is regarded as one of the most corrupt nations globally, ranking 145 out of 180 on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index last year.
“Children and adults alike are affected; they suffer from poor infrastructure, inadequate educational facilities, and lack of clean water,” said Feranmi Iyanda of the Step Up Nigeria NGO.
Iyanda visits schools to distribute copies of the book, sparking discussions that young children can relate to.
“It’s important to convey that fighting corruption is essential because they are the adults and leaders of tomorrow,” she said. “We use books to achieve this.”
Stories and Games –
Since 2018, Step Up Nigeria claims to have visited more than 1,000 schools across the country to discuss the consequences of corruption.
Their awareness initiatives have reached over 50,000 children, they said.
“We primarily use books but also include animated films and games in our efforts,” Iyanda noted.
The NGO has developed four anti-corruption books for children aged six to 12.
These books are designed to show how harmful favouritism and the misuse of public funds can be, helping readers understand that corruption affects everyone.
“Through these book characters and lessons, we want children to discuss anti-corruption with those around them,” said Onyinye Ough, author of Ansa’s Speech and head of the NGO.
Suspensions and Sanctions –
The headteacher at Winners School in Ketu, Ndukwu Mercy, noted that in nearly two decades of teaching, she had rarely seen anti-corruption books recommended as teaching resources.
With encouragement from the NGO, some teachers have found creative ways to pass on the message.
Ten-year-old Sulaiman said he looked forward to these upcoming activities.
“We’ll soon have an anti-corruption week at school with theatre, poetry, and drawing,” the student, dressed in his pink and brown uniform, said excitedly.
Mercy, his headteacher, said that as “role models” for the children, the teachers “must be able to answer their questions.”
Step Up Nigeria seeks a more unified anti-corruption message, alongside sanctions for those involved in corruption.
Since taking office, Tinubu has suspended several senior officials linked to financial embezzlement scandals.
These include former humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister Betta Edu, who was suspended in January over allegations of diverting public funds to private accounts.
“We are doing our part at our level. Everyone — citizens and the state —must take responsibility,” said Ough from Step Up Nigeria. “We still have a long way to go.”
