By Joy Odor
The Senator, representing Kwara South Senatorial District, Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa has bemoaned that the history, archaeology and related disciplines have fallen short over the years in Nigeria.
In view of this challenge, Senator Ashiru lead a debate on a Bill for the establishment of the University of History and Archaeology in Esie, Kwara State in the floor of the Senate on Wednesday.
The Bill which scaled Second reading was read for the first time on Tuesday, 17th of March, 2020.
Leading the debate, Senator Ashiru said when passed into law, the Bill would specially dedicated to research and training in history and archaeology, and all other related disciplines.
He opined that the bill will also provide courses of instruction and training to various levels of personnel required for the field of history and archaeology and courses of instruction and training to various levels of personnel required for the field of history and archaeology.
The Senator mentioned that it would develop and offer academic and professional programmes, post graduate research leading to the award of diplomas, first degrees, and higher degrees in history, archaeology, and related fields.
He pointed out that the bill would encourage the advancement of learning and the opportunity of acquiring a higher and liberal education in the field of history and archaeology.
Speaking to selected journalists after the sitting, Senator Ashiru disclosed the first National Museum in Nigeria was established in 1945 at Esie to house the world’s largest collection of relics in soft stone sculptures.
He narrated that the choice of Esie in Kwara South Senatorial District as the proposed site was due to its richness and unique historical monuments, saying more discoveries are still being made on the site which provides a justification for the host of the proposed university.
The Senator said the establishment of the University at the present site of the Museum at Esie in Kwara State would preserve the soft stones in human form and enable the students to have in depth knowledge of these historical relics irrespective of race, religion, state or nationality.
“It would be located in isie in Kwara South and I am particular about Kwara South because of the subtle sculpture in isie. It has the greatest number of artifacts anywhere in the world. -soft stone, it’s a hospital environment.
“The first museum in Nigeria established in 1945 was in Isie. The museum is still existing and they have abundant land and history is embedded there. So many historians are native of that environment. We trying to enhance it by putting a university there” he said.
Senator Ashiru observed that the establishment of the University would enhance the economic influx of visitors Worldwide such as in the Pyramids in Egypt, the temples in Greece, Machu Picchu in Peru, and the Great Wall in China, among many others.
According to him, it would also serve as centre for periodic international conferences, research and cultural exchange centre for the whole world.
“It is a matter of common knowledge that History and Archaeology go to the root of human existence. We can only appreciate our present and properly direct our future if we are well equipped with the Knowledge of the past.
“The proposed University will serve as centre for periodic international conferences, research and cultural exchange centre for the whole world”.
“The story of Nigeria is a funny story. We have been going sparodically high. As we are going far in modality we are seriously going far away from our bearing. We want to refocus ourselves to the beginning and I am not talking of archaic age. I’m talking about relationships of man to man, woman to woman which is embedded in culture.
“Culture is the most important thing in human history and I feel that if we don’t know our story, beginning how do we go far in this world.
“I’m worried that in most secondary schools today history has been cancelled as a subject and the best way of refocusing it is to get back specialized university of history to be able to do a scientific history and archeology.
“We need to know about the way of living in the past. A detail of interrelationship of man to woman is what we call real history and not superficial history.
“There is no provision in this world that would not benefit from the story of history. Architecture for instance, I know that history of architecture is a very important tool on how a person can be a good architect
“If you want to be an architect and you don’t know what happened in the Renaissance era, you can’t be a good architect. That is why I think that our past is a good past. If we are to build a veritable good future and a good present, we must know where we’re coming from. That why issue of history become very interesting.
“One of those things we trying to say is that we should start talking of history and when you talk about history, you talk about ancient history but more importantly is what we call contemporary history. Studying people in the past, how japanese are able to emerge from the world war, etc.we have a lot to gain” Sen. Ashiru added.
