The
largest African archaeological association in the world, the Society of
Africanist Archaeologists, has elected Professor Akinwumi Ogundiran as
its 18th president. Professor Ogundiran, an eminent archaeologist and
historian, will be the first Nigerian to lead the 51-year-old
organization.
Archaeologists are professionals who use ancient objects to write history and study past cultures.
The
Society of Africanist Archaeologists is an organization of more than
1,500 members from all over the world. It is dedicated to the study of
Africa’s deep history and archaeology. Its members are known for making
major archaeological discoveries all over Africa. In a statement
released by the Nominations and Elections Committee of the organization,
Professor Ogundiran received the majority votes in a pool of three
candidates who vied for the presidency position. Dr. Kolawole Adekola of
the University of Ibadan and a member of the elections committee noted
that the election of Professor Ogundiran to lead a renowned
international organization at this time demonstrates the impacts of
Nigerian archaeologists in the world and the role that Professor
Ogundiran has played in advancing the study of Nigerian history and
archaeology globally.
Professor Akin Ogundiran
has thanked the world organization for their confidence in him. He
promised to work hard to advance the mission of the organization. “I
will use my tenure as president of the Society of Africanist
Archaeologists to “prioritize working with African and other
international partners on initiatives to preserve African archaeological
heritage sites and integrate these concerns into policy-making
processes. I will also use my position to facilitate collaboration among
Africans and their counterparts in Europe, America, Asia, and other
continents.”
Professor Ogundiran is a native of
Ibadan. He attended Okusehinde Primary School, Aremo, in Ibadan, and
African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta. He earned his B.A. (First Class
Honors) from Obafemi Awolowo University, M.Sc. from the University of
Ibadan, and Ph.D. from Boston University in the United States.
The
eminent scholar is widely known for his groundbreaking research on
Yoruba history and the African Diaspora, leading to the publication of
six books and more than 60 other publications. His recent book, The
Yoruba: A New History, won two awards, the Vinson Sutlive Prize &
Isaac Delano Prize.
Professor Ogundiran is a
highly decorated scholar. He is the Editor-in-Chief of African
Archaeological Review, the leading journal in African archaeology. He is
also a seasoned administrator who served as the Department of Africana
Studies Chair for more than 10 years at the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte, United States. Until recently, he held one of the
university’s three Chancellor Professorship titles. He is scheduled to
take up an endowed professor chair at Northwestern University in
September. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the prestigious
Dumbarton Oaks, a major research center in Washington DC, United States,
and a Visiting Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at his alma
mater, the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
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