By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Federal lawmaker representing Kwara South Senatorial district at the red chamber, Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa has given insight as to why the University of History and Archeology is best to be situated at Esie, Kwara State.
According to the Senator, Esie is very rich in unique historical monuments and the first National Museum in Nigeria established in 1945 is located there. Esie houses the world’s largest collection of relics in soft stone sculptures and more discoveries are still being made on that site which provides a justification for the host of this proposed university. Esie has the greatest number of artifacts anywhere in the world- soft stone and it’s a hospitable environment. The museum is still existing and they have abundant land and history is embedded there. So many historians are native of that environment.
Senator Ashiru disclosed this on Wednesday in his office while fielding questions from newsmen after his bill passed first reading in the floor of the Senate.
Sundiata Post recalls that Senator Ashiru had on Wednesday at the floor of the Senate led the debate on University of History and Archaeology (Establishment) Esie, bill, 2020.
On what spurred him to sponsor the bill, Senator Ashiru has this to say: “story of Nigeria is a funny story. We have been going sporadically high. As we are going far in modernity, we are seriously going far away from our bearing. The bill aims at refocusing 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.
He stated that culture is the most important thing in human history and if we don’t know our story from beginning it will be difficult for us to go far in this world.
“It’s worrisome 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.”
“Therefore, If we are to build a veritable good future and a good present, we must know where we’re coming from. That is why issue of history become very interesting” he added.
The Kwara senator who noted that the children of this modern days are more intelligent than those of the past, added that they are serious about education and expressed optimism that they will excel when they begin to learn more about our past heroes, achievements, begin to know that at a time Africa was a cradle of relaxation, to know that the pyramid of Egypt was popularized by the black, they will begin to have a refocus on themselves that is the essence of history, he said.
While leading the debate at the floor of the Senate, Senator Ashiru had said that the objective of the bill includes but not limited to:
(a) To encourage the advancement of learning and the opportunity of acquiring a higher and liberal education in the field of history and archaeology;
(b) To provide courses of instruction and training to various levels of personnel required for the field of history and archaeology;
(C) To 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;
(d) To establish appropriate relationships with other national and _ international institutions involved in training, research and development of historical and archaeological studies.
The bill for the establishment of University of History and Archaeology (Establishment) Esie, bill, 2020 has scaled first reading on the senate.
