Publishers apologise to Gonjas over distortions in textbooks
Nabaf Victory Publishers , the publishers of Victory Series, History of Ghana Books, have rendered an unqualified apology to the Gonjaland Youth Association over some distortions of facts about the ethnic group in several of its textbooks.
It will be recalled that the Association had in a petition to the Ministry of Education demanded the immediate withdrawal of the books and a correction of the said distortions.
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Listing the said distortions (below), they also offered their "expertise" to assist the publishers to correct the mistakes.
The distortions
On the particulars of distortions the Golden history of Ghana BS 2 said the "Main ethnic group of Savannah Region and Mole Dagban" The fact is the main ethnic group in the Savannah Region is Gonja
The Golden History of Ghana B S 5 said, "Daboya is a village located in the Northern Region of present day Ghana' Fact is Daboya is located in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region. It is the capital of the district
A sentence in the Victory series History of Ghana page 13 said, (Northern region is the largest region in terms of land size The fact is the Savannah Region is the largest region in Ghana.
The strand 2- My Country Ghana, origin of the people of Ghana says "Gonjas originated from Mande land in Sierra Leone". The fact is Mande is not in present day Sierra Leone.
The same Strand 2- My Country Ghana, ongin of the people of Ghana says, "The Gonja Kingdom was founded by Wahd Naba or Nabaga These names are strange to Gonjas
The same Golden History of Ghana BS 5 said "Salaga is a town in the Northern Region of present day Ghana'. Fact is Salaga is a town in the Savannah Region of present day Ghana
The management of NABAF Victory publishers in a public notice has now assured that steps will be taken to rectify the errors and the books will also be withdrawn from the market.
"It has come to the notice of the Management of NABAF VICTORY PUBLISHERS, the Publishers of VICTORY SERIES, HISTORY OF GHANA BOOKS, that the GONJALAND YOUTH ASSOCIATION are not happy with some distortions and misrepresentations of some facts about their history in some of our books," the statement said.
"The management of NABAF VICTORY PUBLISHERS wishes to render an unqualified apology to the Ministry of Education, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT (NaCCA), the entire people of Gonjaland, the GONJALAND YOUTH ASSOCIATION and the people of Ghana for any distortions or misrepresentations of their impeccable history.
"We have taken steps to rectify the said distortions and misrepresentations in our next publication and to further withdraw the books from the market. Please kindly accept our apology".