Queen Primer: Stakeholders Call For Public Sensitization On Motion To Ban Textbook

Stakeholders at a one-day roundtable meeting with stakeholders to present IPAS findings on the “Queen Primer,” have called for a review on the motion to ban the book in the country.

The book “Queen Primer is a comprehensive educational tool that aims to enhance reading, spelling, and writing skills in an engaging and structured manner.

On October 19, 2023, the House of Representatives asked all tiers of government to ban Queen Primer, due to its content.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Sulaiman Gumi, on the floor of the House, that the book contains words like “gay” and “eros”, which according to the lawmakers, are words that introduce “gay and lesbians” to children.

Consequently, the House resolved to ban the book and other similar books that encourage pervasive culture and also resolved that using such books is criminal.

In an interview with newsmen, the Country Director of IPAS Nigeria, Mr Lucky Palmer, who expressed worry over the level of illiteracy in the country, said the book remains critical for a better future,

”Today we just had a session based on a motion to ban the book Queen Premier book which we all know is meant to help to read and spell.”” So we wanted to be with the stakeholders to understand the rationale behind it and how we defend it from happening.”

Mr Lucky Palmer believed that banning the book now was not the way forward and therefore stressed the need for Nigeria’s educational institutions to look at it and look at other words that can be used.

He expressed the hope to meet with the Minister of Education and also members of the Committee on Education to give them additional information about the book itself so that people don’t work on assumptions or deliberate misinformation which are very rampant in the age of social media.

On his part, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman who said the textbook, has been in the public domain for over 90 years. indicated the necessity for a review of the “Queen Primer,”

The Minister who was represented by the National Librarian, Prof Mrs Chinwe Veronica, affirmed that the concerns raised by the National Assembly regarding the inclusion of certain words in the text would be addressed.

Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Director, National Library of Nigeria, Mrs Olani Olabimpe, acknowledged that some words may not have had negative connotations when the book was published in 1888, and said a review was imperative in the current context.