AASA where art thy leader?

Emerging a leadership role and having a leader is a tradition held in high esteem in every organization. The continuity of this tradition is important to ensure the adequate function of the organization. A country without a leader or anyone to oversee its affairs clearly wouldn’t be taken seriously among member nations.

In this editorial, we highlight some bothering and not so pleasing phenomenon in AASA as an association and its political space.

The Archaeology and Anthropology Students’ Association has experienced an amazing leadership role many will look back to and remember vividly how well they’ve been exemplary in their duties as leaders and strived for the progress and development of the association using great leadership skills. Leaders like; Adebayo Alabi, Ojediran Olumide, Asazobor Wisdom, and the most recent Ikechukwu Caleb.

The idea of looking back into history or going down memory lane could be therapeutic but, since we live in the present and right in the present, something doesn’t seem right we have to ask questions and figure out what doesn’t seem right. At this point, it is only if we do not have an iota of shame that we wouldn’t ask— Why is AASA leaderless? Why haven’t new leaders of the student association been elected? Why is our student association lacking a credible leader? and yet again we ask AASA where art thy leader?

The political apathy currently being experienced is the most ridiculously observed and experienced event in the political history of the association. On questions as to why we haven’t had newly elected leaders, or why political apathy where students or individuals lack interest and don’t see the need either to participate in voting or be voted for. We cannot solely blame the electioneering body that oversees all that has to do with the students’ association electioneering process (AAIEC). Either for being, negligent or unfunctional but, we all as a collective body have a role to play in this as we have all shown a lackadaisical attitude towards the fruition of the course.

Archaeology and Anthropology Independent Electoral Committee (AAIEC), lifted the ban for the 2020/2021 academic session on August, 25th 2021. The body has also introduced better ways to engage voters and to make AASAITES participate adequately.
This editorial is a charge from the press calling on all parties involved (ie. students who are eligible to compete and the association as a whole.) to take up these roles and vie for the positions they know they would perform to the best of their ability. To elect new student leaders is a collective thing and as such, it requires the participation of those vying for position and the voters.

The process of electing new executives for the association is long overdue as it was meant to have happened long before now. It becomes problematic if there isn’t continuity in leadership and people who decide to challenge authority, power and bring the ideas and thoughts of an association like ours to life. As emerging leadership role is important, so is having vibrant people who have the right leadership skill to lead adequately, intentionally, and with integrity.
The time to prove that we all are serious about the progress of AASA students’ association is now, not tomorrow or the next and for the change in AASA political space that we all seek to be evident, it begins with us as a collective.