It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the 50th anniversary conference and celebration of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan. I am particularly elated because this is happening at the time I am saddled with the responsibility of leading the department as her 12th Head. Coincidentally and interestingly too, the department was 12 years old when I entered into it after my preliminary class. The preliminary class was later phased out from the University making students to enter departments directly from the 100 level.
That the department is celebrating 50 years of existence is worth celebrating. This is because attaining the golden age is by no means a mean feat and it is a milestone worthy to remember. The department which initially started in 1962 as a research unit in the Institute of African Studies became a full-fledged degree awarding department in 1971.
As noted above, since inception, the department has had 12 Heads, beginning with the highly established and cerebral scholar and researcher, the late Professor Thurstan Shaw, and followed by Professor Nicholas David. By 1978, late Professor Bassey Andah became the first indigenous Head of Department, followed by the first woman head, the quintessential Professor M. Adebisi Sowunmi in 1985. Six students, beginning with Professor C.A. Folorunso in 1995 trained by the early great scholars have become the department’s Head.
The department originally started in the Faculty of Science as Department of Archaeology. It later started offering courses in the Faculty of Arts. Today, it is within both the Faculties of Science and Arts. The Anthropology programme was introduced during the 1982/1983 session and thus, its nomenclature changed from the Department of Archaeology to the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology during the 1983/1984 session.
Since inception, the department has carried out ground-breaking archaeological researches on Nigeria’s past in sites within all the different ecozones of the country. These include Igbo-Ukwu, Iwo Eleru, Daima, Old Oyo, Ile-Ife, Itaakpa, the Benue Valley (Ushongo, Tse Dura, Katsina Ala), sites in Igbominaland, Ijeshaland (e.g. Ilare), Esie, Owo, Benin, Badagry area, among several others. These studies have helped to put the history of the past of Nigeria’s people in the proper perspective, away from the Eurocentric interpretations of earlier Colonial scholars. One other key contribution of the Department to the study of the countries past is in the area of reconstruction of its palaeoenvironment which has been carried out through geoarchaeological and palynological studies.
The Department has produced great scholar and researchers and people from all walks of life. It has, until very recently been the sole producer of lecturers in all other departments of Archaeology in Nigeria; many of the lecturers in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in the country also passed through the department. Today, our graduates are leading figures within many government establishments and parastatals and non-government agencies, e.g. the NCMM, Nigeria’s Customs and Immigrations, the Police, Road Safety Corps, the Military, the oil industry, and the Media among others. The department has produced professors, a Vice Chancellor, a former Nigeria Minister of Agriculture (Mallam Liman Ciroma, who for many years ago graciously instituted an award for the best graduating student in African Archaeology), politicians, business tycoons, etc. Outside the country, our graduates are making waves in the academic and social world, for instance, our Keynote speaker, Prof. Akin Ogundiran is a world-renowned Archaeologist, a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA, the third scholar to be so honoured in the history of that University. The department has also produced the President (Prof. Bassey Andah) and Vice President (Prof. C.A. Folorunso) of the World Archaeological Congress, President of the West African Archaeological Association (Prof. M. Adebisi Sowunmi), and the President of the Archaeological Association of Nigeria (Prof. D.A. Aremu).
With all these not-exhausted achievements of the department over the last 50 years, it is not out of place to roll out the drums in her honour. Thus the theme of our Conference, Archaeology, Anthropology and National Development is very apt. I welcome every participant and paper presenter at this Conference. I appreciate very immensely the commitment, tenacity and forthrightness of the 50th Anniversary Committee, headed by Professor D.A. Aremu for a job well done. I particularly owe Dr. B.O. Ololajulo a great debt of gratitude for all his efforts.
Please feel free to interact with colleagues and find time to explore the beauty, serenity and academic atmosphere of the University. You are most welcome. God bless you.
Professor R.A. Alabi
AASA PRESS UI 