Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has revealed that he is representing a mother at the centre of a controversy over a nursery school textbook, following her review of the book’s content and subsequent allegations of intimidation.
The woman, identified as Mrs Maryqueen Udoka, had weeks earlier called for public support after alleging she faced threats following her concerns about a passage in her child’s textbook, English Language Foundation for Nursery Schools.
Effiong said the development led to a police invitation at the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, which he honoured alongside his client over a petition filed by the author of the textbook.
He explained that the petition contained allegations of “conspiracy”, “criminal defamation”, “offensive publication” and “cyberstalking”, which he dismissed as unfounded.
In a statement on Thursday shared on X, Effiong said: “We are back from Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, after honouring police invitation based on a petition by the author and publisher of the controversial textbook,” adding that the allegations were “utterly baseless and irritating.”
Mrs Udoka, who raised the initial complaint, had objected to a passage in the textbook she said was unsuitable for nursery pupils, prompting wider public debate on its content and approval status.
Effiong said the issues were addressed before the police, noting that his client restated her position during her written statement and in a meeting with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Moshood Jimoh.
At the meeting, he said a copy of the textbook was presented alongside a preliminary position from the Lagos State Government indicating that the book was not approved for use in schools in the state.
“After spending more than three hours at Zone 2 Police Command, I departed the Zone with colleagues in chambers and my client, Mrs Maryqueen Udoka,” Effiong said, adding that she has since reunited with her family.
He noted that the complainant did not appear before the police, while the matter has been adjourned to 7 May 2026 for further proceedings, when the author is expected to be present.
The dispute follows earlier petitions submitted by Effiong and Mrs Udoka to the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, calling for a review of the textbook’s approval and use in schools.
In the petition, they urged authorities to investigate the suitability of the book for nursery pupils and take regulatory action to ensure compliance with education standards, noting that the school where the book was reportedly sold had withdrawn it following public reaction.
The controversy escalated after Mrs Udoka raised concerns in a viral video, alleging that the textbook contained a passage describing violence against an animal, which she said was inappropriate for her five-year-old child and other pupils.
“As a first-time mum, my children are my priority… I read this and came online to ask if this is the kind of book they are reading now. It doesn’t sit well with me,” she said.
She also alleged she faced threats after speaking publicly, claiming she received a police invitation and feared possible arrest, while calling for legal support and public intervention.
The matter has since drawn wider attention, including comments from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who raised concerns about alleged intimidation and called for proper scrutiny of educational materials used in schools.
Leave a comment