REVISITING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HISTORY AND ITS RELEVANCE TO THE LAW PROFESSION

Abstract

Following the removal of history from the academic disciplines in Nigeria’s educational curriculum in 2009, many unsavory definitions were prom oted to justify its diminished significance vis à vis other academic disciplines like the proverbial dog to justify its killing. Such definitions seem to portray the subject as mere stories of no consequence which need not bother critical minds. But with the reintroduction of the discipline of history into the Nigerian school academic curri culum in all segments of learning in 2020, October 16, it becomes very necessary to undrape the changing relevance of the discipline long forsaken, misinterpreted and misunderstood and as well show the changing significance of history to the society and to other disciplines such as Law. The paper discovered that the disdain the discipline has suffered in the time past, apart from ignorance, has been largely due to lack of adequate awareness of the rich content and significance of the discipline coupled with the definitions bequeathed to it by the colonial masters including deliberate attempt to conceal events that otherwise would have been of immense benefit to the development of the nation. The period covered by this work spans from precolonial period to th e period of reinstatement of history as an academic discipline in 2020. This paper discovered through a re examination of extant literature the invaluable nature of history to not only individuals and institutions and leaders but to the discipline of Law. It would be an invaluable resource to students of Law, history, state administrators and curriculum planners of Nigeria .