EDITORIAL: A Warm Welcome to the Freshers.

The reputation ‘First and the Best’ is one that precedes the University of Ibadan, embodying an excellence that goes beyond ephemeral things to the true nature- infact, an indisputable one, of the University. It’s not just a title, it’s a culture- ‘If it is from unibadan, it can only be the Best’.

As the very first of its kind in the history of education in Nigeria, the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan, holds the honor of heralding the onset of cultural and historical research, anthropological and archaeological studies cutting across two main faculties-the Arts and the Sciences, essentially encompassing the need to preserve the past as a vital link to the present and even the nearest and/or farthest future. A research unit pioneered by a renowned name, training inaugural students who indeed set the pace for those after them to move with, where we, being the ‘those’, are now here counted worthy to leave our mark in the documentations of history.

And so, Dear Freshers, welcome…

On Thursday, June 20, 2024, the executives of the Archaeology and Anthropology Student Association organized an orientation meeting for the fresh students of the Department. This was done according to the rituals of resumption reserved for fresh students across all departments, faculties, and association bodies on campus. The orientation was graced by the presence of stakeholders in the association, representing both faculties- Arts and Science. Key stakeholders, such as; Chairman, AASA Stakeholders Committee- Miss. Solafunmi Alawusa; President, FASSA- Honorable Emmanuel Oniyide; Deputy Speaker, FSRC- Honorable Aremo David; Deputy Speaker, AFAS FLC- Honorable Busayo Ogunsemore; Sports Director, Kenneth Mellanby Hall- Mr. Jibril Oladejo; Chairman AAIEC- Honorable Daniel; Editor-in-chief, AASA PRESS- Miss. Ayooluwa Ekundare; President, AASCF & FACA- Mr. Peter Alonge, etc.

The orientation convened by the executives- Mr. Tochi John, President AASA; Miss. Kofoworola Adegboyega, Vice President AASA; Mr. Emmanuel Ilemobayo, General Secretary AASA, was one convened with the intention that the fresh students are welcomed into the department as courtesy demands, giving them a glimpse into what lies in stock for them. In a manner of welcome, the freshers were addressed by some of these key stakeholders, who according to their experience, were able to give salient points of advice, as it concerns the peculiarities of the department.

The orientation was also graced by the presence of the Head of Department, Professor Aderemi S. Ajala, who further addressed the students on the uniqueness of the department, the peculiarities of the course of study, the multifaceted nature of the disciplines, benefits that are affiliated to the disciplines, and the best disposition for the guarantee of a successful academic pursuit as it concerns the disciplines. He also went down memory lane, speaking of his time as a student in the department in its early days, and how that foundation has now afforded him a wealth of opportunities- tapped and untapped.

Although, it is in fulfillment of perfunctory duties, the orientation is believed to have struck the right chords, thus producing the expected results- extending a warm welcome. Therefore, this editorial piece seeks to make a toast to the wonderful experience that has begun for the fresh students of this pioneer department, wishing them the very best of all things success and fulfilment. Cheers.

EDITORIAL: The Conundrum that is Culture…

The universe is a vast space of diverse species spread far and wide, the diversity in the universe knows no bounds and cannot exactly be contained in a simple definition or explanation. That diversity is what makes the universe what it is.
However, in a bid to understand this diversity, and compress it to man’s understanding, the concept of culture comes to play. But like almost all of man’s endeavors, culture is a concept that has no finite conclusion. Hence, the conundrum that is Culture…

The Conundrum..
It could be contrasting, it could be different, it could be that it just does not fit, or that there is no finite definition that caps it all, the conundrum can be many things.. In the works of the 19th-century Danish Philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, in lieu of his many works such as ‘Fear and Trembling‘ and ‘Knight of Faith‘, he compared a conundrum to have the same contextual meaning as an ‘existential dilemma‘. His works are writings that often involve the characters having to make ‘dilemmic’ decisions or decide if a choice between incomparable elements is foolhardy or a show of strength.
For this editorial piece however, the conundrum here is one that doesn’t appear to be finite, although designed to be encompassing, providing a true bearing to diversity, it is still in itself diverse beyond measure. Hence, the conundrum of attempting to encompass diverse and infinite in a finite concept.
And so, like Søren opined, a conundrum is infact an existential dilemma, and in this case, one that leaves one wondering about the conclusion of the whole matter, evaluating tenets, examining it with various parameters that exist diversely, wondering if the acclaimed one-cap-fits-all definition is truly the beginning and end of a concept so profound. The conundrum is one that makes one wonder if infact there could be more or if there is more to the concept than meets the eye…

..that is Culture..
According to an Anthropological renowned figure, Edward Burnett Tylor, culture is pretty much finite. Bound by the tenets of KBALMC (Knowledge, Belief, Art, Laws, Morals, Custom), and any other factor as dictated by society that binds an individual acceptably to the said society. This definition should apparently be enough to encapsulate the diversity that exists within the universe, however, there is the question of individualism, personhood, inherent nature, opinions and choices, and essentially the sometimes conflicting nature of man. Where do these fit into the Tylorian definition, what accounts for them?
Indeed the nature of culture itself, far outweighs what it is perceived as. A concept that cuts across different aspects, social, biological, mental, even physical, cannot simply be put into a box when it is supposed to exist outside of any confinement. Culture in its diversity is influenced by many a thing, from the inherent nature of man to personal inclinations that influence behavior, to sporadic or periodic innovation and change within a society, to mutations in the stereotypical, and other diverse things.

Culture in itself is a conundrum, a concept that seems to tease the ability of man to confound things that stretch beyond comprehension, poking out at loose ends and peeking out from loop holes that show at every turn, never seeming to fit completely. Maybe being a conundrum, is what it is meant to be, remaining peculiar to individual perception, only yielding to factors that influence it within a specific sphere, not exactly fitting a finite universal depiction.

So, dear reader, what defines culture for you? What unique perceptions influence the somewhat universal concept for you? Would you stick to the one-cap-fits-all? Or would you rather accept its true nature.. a conundrum.

EDITORIAL: Heralding A New Beginning…

New beginnings, new seasons, new sessions all have something in common- a fresh start, and quite a number of them are happening simultaneously in these times.

For some, it is the initiation into a new ‘world’ order- in a manner of speaking, a world that seems to exist independent of preconceived ideas, perceptions of imbibed knowledge. For some, it is a chance to reach high again, a chance to dust their feet and take position to run again, a chance to make another effort to try better, harder again. And for some, it is the beginning of an exodus, inevitably written to come to pass.
However, just as the concept of culture is subject to relativism, so also is the concept of a ‘beginning’ relative to whom it may concern.

“The beginning is always Today..” -Mary Shelley

But perhaps Mary had an afterthought, but decided to leave it up for debate, as to how ‘Today’ is subject to individual relativism- as ‘Today’ is when and what you make it to be.
And on that note, AASA PRESS wishes you a Happy Resumption! However, ‘resumption’ like ‘today’, is what and when you make it to be. The question then is, when is your ‘Today’?

In Retrospect..

“Celebrate endings; for they precede new beginnings..” -Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Indeed nothing aids the mind’s ability to press forward with vigor more than reflecting and looking back upon what has been. As humans, culture and history and two major concepts that define us- as individuals, and members of a society.
History provides insight into who we are, who we have been, and where we are coming from. Yes, the beginning is always today, but yesterday still has a way on how today is viewed, accessed and faced. And so, in retrospect- as students, let us cast our minds back, take a small trip down memory lane, pick one or two things from history, and assess how it will help our ‘today’.
In the matters of experience, it may be unanimously agreed that it is in fact the best teacher, however, critical thinkers have negated the idea by stating that, it is only so for fools. And that the wise would learn from his/ her mistakes. As students, entering new sessions requires that we look upon where we are coming from, learn from the things that proved to be key boosters, and improve upon our identified weaknesses. In retrospect, what could you have done better? what did you do so well and can be ‘re-implemented’? what new things can you do?
And so, like our cumulative grade point average- being calculated from the very beginning, up until the current beginning, do an evaluation in retrospect, then look forward to the next..

Moving On..

“Though we may not have reached the heights we anticipated yesterday, today is a brand-new day to begin a new climb” -Chinonye J. Chidolue

Having done an evaluation in retrospect, it is time to reload and ‘refire’. Moving on, what’s going to be your new strategy? How are your plans to make the most of what yesterday had to offer to make today an upgrade? That schedule you employed for the last session, was it quite efficient, or will there be a need to tweak a few things? What new ideas would you be implementing to compliment what you already have?
There are diverse opportunities that ‘today’ presents us with, a variety of options to choose from. A chance to do things differently, a chance to refurbish, revamp or reinvent. ‘Today’ provides an avenue for forward growth, and a window of opportunity to do what could not been done or what could have been done.
And so, moving forward.. what’s the plan?

Dear reader, this editorial piece, was not just intended to stir your motivation receptors, but to help you understand the intricacies of all that makes for a new beginning. In the fever of resumption, appreciate the beauty of casting your mind back, acknowledge the need to restrategize for the present and look forward to what the new holds.

And so, the adventure begins…

EDITORIAL – Why positivity is a must-have

“Get going. Move forward. Aim High. Plan a takeoff. Don’t just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane. It simply won’t happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you’ll love it up here.” – Donald Trump

Positivity, one essential component that we as humans must always strive to get in life because we are all human beings and sometimes we need to see reasons to be positive even when times are tough. Positivity is also important for business as well as personal reasons. If you want to succeed in any field of life then you should always keep positive thoughts in mind. It is equally important that as students, we should learn how to control our emotions and think positively.

It is common knowledge that people who are negative tend to get depressed more often than those who are positive. This is true even if they don’t show their negativity outwardly. They may seem like they are having fun but inside they feel sad or angry.

Positive thinking has been proven time and again to help us achieve success in everything we do. Whether it’s passing a course in school, landing a job, starting a new relationship, or finding a cure for cancer, positivity helps us accomplish anything we set out to do. But why? What makes positive thinking so powerful? And how can we use it to improve our lives?

The first step towards becoming a positive thinker is to understand what being positive really means. As students, we spend most of our time studying and working hard. Sometimes we fail miserably and sometimes we pass with flying colours. In both cases, we work hard to achieve a goal. However, when we fail, we tend to blame ourselves for our failure. On the other hand, when we pass, we tend to pat ourselves on the back for achieving such an amazing feat. The problem with this mindset is that it leads to self-doubt and pessimism.

When we blame ourselves for failing, we end up feeling guilty and worthless. This causes us to lose confidence in ourselves and eventually lead to depression. In order to be positive, you need to believe in yourself and your abilities. Positive thinkers know that they can make changes in their lives and that they deserve to be happy. They realize that they have the power to create the life they want.

The second step towards becoming a positive person is to identify your strengths. “The surest way to make your dreams come true is to live them.” – Roy T. Bennett. A positive thinker knows his or her own strengths and weaknesses. He or she realizes that he or she can overcome most obstacles with hard work and determination. By identifying your strengths, you can begin to build confidence. Once you have confidence, you can move onto the next step – learning how to manage your emotions.

The third step towards becoming a positive individual is to take responsibility for your actions. A positive thinker understands that he or she is responsible for creating his or her own destiny. He or she takes full ownership of his or her decisions and actions. This allows him or her to accept criticism and failures gracefully.

The fourth step towards becoming a positive personality is to develop an optimistic outlook. A positive thinker believes that every situation has a solution. He or she looks for opportunities rather than problems. He or she focuses on the future rather than dwelling on the past.

The fifth and final step towards becoming a positive attitude is to practice gratitude. A positive thinker recognizes that he or she has much to be grateful for. He or she appreciates the little things in life such as family, friends, and nature. In conclusion, being positive doesn’t mean that you should ignore your problems. Being positive does not mean that you should pretend nothing is wrong. What being positive means is that you should learn to see the bright side of things, and as students, this is especially important. We all face challenges in our lives. However, when you learn to think positively, you’ll be able to deal with these challenges better.

– David Oyelakin

BECOMING

Becoming is a crucial aspect of personal growth and development. It involves understanding yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, and values, and using this knowledge to make positive changes in your life. Becoming the best version of yourself is a lifelong journey, and it begins with self-discovery. Many people spend their lives trying to fit into a certain mold, following the expectations of society, family, or peers. However, true fulfillment and happiness come from being authentic and true to yourself. Self-discovery is about uncovering your unique identity, passions, and purpose.

When New Becomes Old

Change is a constant in our world today, it is an inevitable occurrence. Change is defined by the ability to evolve and adapt, but sometimes change can be so drastic that it becomes outdated before it has even been changed. By December 15, 2022, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will introduce the new redesigned Naira notes in denominations of 200, 500 and 1,000. It is disappointing that the new notes are not in any way different from the old designs, only a colour change is seen.

Must be worth it: The race for power or Leadership

The race is not for the swift…

It is simply impossible to ignore the current tussle and struggle for power
amongst all individuals eyeing public offices especially the title of president even as we look forward to the coming elections. Like always, many Nigerians led by the strong resentment they have for the current government for the years of suffering they have had to withstand are determined to vote in the lesser devil (“The devil you know is better than the one you do not know”, many of them say. But the question of how well they know the devil they think they know is a question that tags along with defensive answers). And so likewise, there are others who even after years of suffering are willing to vote in a candidate simply because, “He understands the system and would most certainly do better”. Nigerians being Nigerians by forgetting that they said the same thing the last time. Why the question of what the ones who have been in the system enough to understand it are still behaving very much like the system confuses them is never asked is downright astonishing and of course, laughable!

WILL IT EVER END?

“Will it ever end?” The constant question that has been running through almost every Nigerian student’s mind who has in one way or the other experienced the staggering educational system likened to a man who finds it so difficult to breathe, one who is always struggling to take in Oxygen. The question of how we keep using the same instrument over and over again at the expense of the student’s future. Like in the case of using a cutlass for over 20years and not ever thinking that it would become blunt and very well ineffective. Thinking that the same tool or instrument would work and make the government listen at the expense of the progress of the “leaders of tomorrow”. The question of whether the leaders of tomorrow would ever get the chance to indeed be leaders of tomorrow, if they would ever get the chance at the future they so desire to have, the one that they deserve to have. Will it ever end?

BACK LIKE WE NEVER LEFT. AND THEN…THE STRIKE STRIKES!

It is almost impossible to ignore the excitement oozing from every side of the freshers, feeling the relief of finally getting to resume to the greatest of the greatest university of Ibadan. Meanwhile, there is the unflinching tiredness from the sides of the satellites even though school is yet to be in full motion. And with this, it is still difficult to not acknowledge the anxiousness of what the new level holds for them. And then, we have the finalists who even though are excited to finally be in their last session are already thinking of just how much their mental health are going to be tested. Occupied by the constant pondering upon all the things they have to do. Including projects and assignments not counting out the group works and presentations that may later fall in line as time goes on. the worry of how they would have to balance up their grades in the best way possible and meet all the deadlines. of course, the only ones bothered by such thoughts would be the serious ones. While on the other hand we would no doubt have the group of final year students who just want to flex. It’s the final year, Afterall!

YOU, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA, ARE IN CHARGE OF BODY SHAMING.

“Have you lost weight? …, “You look like you’ve gained weight in all the right places…”, “Do you want to eat all of that?” , “You’re so lucky you can just eat and eat.” etc, are some familiar questions associated with body shaming. Body shaming is a familiar issue in the society that you keep coming across every day, It happens to both the famous and infamous, rich and the poor, educated and non-educated, etc. Body shaming is the act of deriding or mocking a person’s physical appearance.

Is online voting the way or physical voting?

In the words of George Patton “A good plan, violently executed now is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.” Hold these statements to heart most importantly “violently executed” think more of the execution than the violence that comes with it as it would be very useful as you read this piece.

GENDER AND EQUALITY

Gender equality is with no doubt a fundamental human right and we cannot but fail to acknowledge that significant progress has been made on this issue in recent times. Yet, despite progress being made we cannot also turn a blind eyes to the fact that in many communities around the world women and girls do not fully experience equal rights and their potentials as economic, social and sustainable development change-agents remains untapped.

AASAITES BEHOLD YOUR NEWLY ELECTED EXECUTIVE MEMBER’S.

Engaging in politics has always been considered a dirty game by many people and for many reasons, one can only take a clue as to why people think it is a dirty game. Will you consider school/college/university politics a dirty game?

#AASAAt50 | THAT WE MAY FOREVER BE AMBASSADORS OF AASA

The end of one’s life hugely depends on the legacy, growth, and development an individual has attained and laid down throughout a lifetime. The attribute of laying a good foundation has made AASA what it is today and continued to make it shine amongst other disciplines both at home and abroad.

Biodiversity: Why we should be Bioconcious it’s a collective responsibility.

Biodiversity is a compound word containing “Bio” which means life and “diversity. In simple terms, biodiversity refers to the various forms of life existing on this planet (ecosystem).

Why personal effectiveness is a must-have

Personal effectiveness is a universal need and this is because being personally effective can lead to one having more control over their daily life, being more focused as well as being super productive. It is important that as students we take up personal effectiveness to effectively understand ourselves, enhance our skills, and at the same manage ourselves while reaching our full potentials.

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.

Post-fieldwork: so what’s next?

An integral part of being an anthropologist or archaeologist is observing fieldwork. The final week of the online class saw many students contemplating and asking whether the fieldwork was going to hold, where it was going to hold and what form the fieldwork was going to take. All these questions was what bothered many students of the department of archaeology and anthropology.

Next Level: The Promised Reward for Hardwork and Smart Work

Next level, a phrase that resonates with students, entrepreneurs, worker, creatives, basically a goal getter. For a student, it might mean the next class, for the business owner it might mean the next stage of growth or expansion for his/her business venture. For a working class it can mean a promotion, for a creative it can mean a bigger gig, and the list goes on and on.

EXAMINATION AROUND THE CORNER, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

As the weeks and days draw us much closer to the examination period, there’s no ignoring the fact that students are getting geared up for the stormy season.