Obasanjo advocates storytelling for moral formation, character development for learners

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has identified storytelling as an important tool for cultural preservation, effective communication, confidence-building and the inculcation of moral values among children and young people – learners.

Obasanjo stated this while serving as the distinguished storyteller at ‘Storytelling with the Legends 2026’, organised by the Department of School Library and Media Technology, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, on Saturday, at Trenchard Hall, Ibadan.

The event had in attendance education stakeholders, teachers, lecturers, policymakers, school children both from primary and secondary schools, UI students, among others.

He said storytelling provides an avenue for learning the culture of society, developing communication skills, overcoming shyness and learning to listen to others. He added that it teaches people how to communicate in ways others can understand.

However, the former president emphasised that the most important benefit of storytelling lies in its ability to shape morality and character.

“The most important is the formation of morality and character; inculcation of morality,” he said.

Illustrating his point with a traditional folktale about the tortoise, Obasanjo recalled how he learnt valuable lessons about life and human behaviour through storytelling while growing up.

He noted that the tortoise, a familiar character in African folktales, was often portrayed as a wrongdoer whose experiences offered lessons on human conduct and navigating life’s challenges.

Recounting one of the tales, Obasanjo narrated how the tortoise went to steal from his father-in-law’s farm at night, but was caught and tied to a tree for passers-by to see.

According to him, villagers passing the farm in the morning condemned the tortoise, blaming and accusing him for his actions. However, their opinions changed by the evening when they returned and found him still tied to the tree.

The villagers began to question the father-in-law’s decision to leave the tortoise tied up from dawn until dusk, arguing that the tortoise’s wife was his daughter and that whatever he had stolen would eventually have been taken home to her.

Drawing a lesson from the folktale, Obasanjo cautioned against relying too heavily on people’s opinions, noting that public perceptions could change with circumstances.

He said that while people’s views were not permanent, only God could be relied upon permanently.

Reflecting on his early life, the former president disclosed that he was born in Ibogun-Olagun, Ogun State, on a market day, when there was no school available for him to attend.

He said his opportunity to begin formal education came in 1946, when he made his first attempt to enroll in school.

Drawing from his experiences in family life, the military, imprisonment, the Nigerian Civil War and his professional career, Obasanjo shared lessons on perseverance, courage, resilience and the importance of making the most of life’s opportunities.

He urged the audience not to be discouraged by opposition or conspiracies, encouraging them to remain steadfast in pursuing their goals.

According to him, determination and faith are essential to overcoming challenges and achieving one’s aspirations.

“Whatever good you have the opportunity to do, do it. You never know how God will reward you,” he said.

He also stressed that failure should not prevent people from pursuing their goals, noting that the ability to rise after a setback is more important than the fall itself.

“What is bad is not in your fall, but not getting up back. When you fall, get up, get going, and God will get you there,” he said.

Obasanjo further encouraged individuals to pursue their aspirations with determination, urging them to take deliberate steps towards achieving whatever they set their hearts on.

When asked about the lessons from the civil war, he advocated dialogue over conflict. and peaceful resolution of disputes, maintaining that there was no gain in war, regardless of the setting in which conflict occurred.

He urged people to embrace peaceful solutions to disagreements in their homes, workplaces and family circles rather than resorting to confrontation.

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“There is no gain in war, war at any level, home, workplace or family circle. Settle for dialogue,” he said.

In his remarks, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, noted that the initiative was established to promote storytelling as a cherished tradition of the university and a means of preserving cultural heritage.

He described Obasanjo’s life as a living archive of Nigeria’s history, highlighting his experiences during the Civil War and his subsequent emergence as head of state and the first civilian president of the Fourth Republic.

He said the former president’s presence at the second edition of the event reflected his commitment to the moral and intellectual development of Nigerian youths, adding that the occasion provided an opportunity for an elder to pass down wisdom to younger generations through storytelling.

The Vice-Chancellor emphasised that African storytelling goes beyond entertainment, describing it as a means of education, moral instruction and cultural preservation.

The Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, stressed the importance of storytelling in preserving cultural heritage, promoting reading and instilling moral values in children and young people.

He commended the Department of School Library and Media Technology for sustaining the initiative, noting that storytelling had become increasingly important at a time when children were drawn to digital content and indigenous knowledge systems were gradually fading.

He added that the programme provided an opportunity for pupils and students to learn directly from distinguished personalities whose life experiences offered valuable lessons beyond what they could learn from digital platforms.

The dean also emphasised the role of school libraries in nurturing imagination, identity and values, describing them as more than rooms filled with books. He said school librarians had an important responsibility to preserve and promote cultural knowledge.

The Head of the Department, School Library and Media Technology, University of Ibadan, Dr Alice A. Bamigbola, described the initiative as a flagship programme of the department, expressing delight at the gathering, which brought together distinguished personalities, education stakeholders and young people to celebrate storytelling and its enduring value.

Bamigbola said the event provided an opportunity to bring together the wisdom of older generations and the promise of young people, stressing that a nation that forgets its stories risks losing touch with the values and experiences that shape its future.

She expressed particular appreciation for the presence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the chief storyteller, whose life and experiences offered an opportunity for younger generations to learn from a distinguished national figure.

Also speaking at the event, Chief Mrs Bukola Ladoja lauded and described the initiative as one of the best ways to make students learn outside the four walls of the classroom.

In the same vein, the chairman of Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, Professor Segun Olayiwola, represented by Mr Adeyanju Olaniyi, a director in the Ministry of Education, noted that “storytelling simplifies teaching and learning,” advocating that it should be inculcated into schools’ extracurricular activities.

The event brought together storytelling and life experiences to underscore the importance of preserving cultural heritage and using traditional narratives to promote learning and character development.