By Abdulkabir Muhammed
What do I do with History? That is the biggest question I have always asked myself as an undergraduate of History. This question became necessary due to the country’s disregard for the discipline. In Nigeria, aside professional courses like medicine, law, engineering, and accounting, (to some extent) other courses are as relevant only as they are limited to the classrooms.
Nigeria is a country with disregard for specialization; everyone is a historian, political scientist, journalist, and an economist. All they need (as an average Nigerian) is to pick a book, go to the internet, and check social media comments for them to become ‘scholars’ on the aforementioned disciplines. Therefore, a student studying courses other than the professional ones is in a doubled struggle: the struggle for excellence and to secure relevance in the labour market. After all, not everyone can be medical or legal professionals, hence, the need for symposium like the one held by the BIMA Initiatives in conjunction with the Students Historical Society of Nigeria, Kwara State University chapter, on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
The guest speaker, who is an economic historian and lecturer at the Lagos State University, Dr. Faruq Boge, was tasked with unravelling the topic: “Employability of Students of History in the 21st Century.” According to him, the 21st century is characterised by technology, internet, artificial intelligence, globalization, and entrepreneurship. It is an age that enables quickness and easiness in research making. A century when one could carry out secondary research on any theme without necessarily being present on the field. In other words, a digital world now enables researchers carry out a quick yet easy research, without much stress, sometimes from one’s comfort zone. It is an era that enables the availability of numerous resources on the internet for easier and quicker access.
Also, appliances and applications that enable easy writing now replace the era of typewriter and has also reduced, if not eradicate, the reliance on voluminous dictionary. Furthermore, a shrinking world has enabled the integration of economies, and the relevance of innovations and creativity. Thus, a number of factors contribute to success in this century, unlike prior, depending on individual’s viability and skills.
The scholar believes that possessing some skills would make a history student or historian employable in the contemporary world. Versatility, multi-tasking, time management, technological literacy, and artificial intelligence are skills a future historian needs to navigate the contemporary labour market.
A student of history must not be limited; he must be flexible and adaptable to different functions. His studies on history should not be restricted to narrations. Neither class assessments nor examinations should be his priority, but how to integrate his knowledge of history to fit in any sector he finds himself. His effective time management helps him handles his multiple tasks. Part of his secondary task is that he engages in technical trainings now dominating the world. These notwithstanding, the erudite scholar believes that a would-be historian must take cognizance of some fundamental qualities and skills, as they relate to his discipline.
In his view, research skills, inquisitiveness, brainstorming, chronological reasoning, critical thinking, communication, interpretation and analytical skills are pertinent for a student of history and historian. Undoubtedly, research is an integral part of history. It differentiates history from mere story telling. Reading, an important aspect of research, is a historian’s wont. He asks questions—what, when, how, and why. He critiques the norms in order to appreciate traditions of origins, compare and contrasts various traditions, as well as interprets sources. His results are best understood through his communication method. Hence, a historian’s ability to communicate excellently, his findings in any language of choice is essential, be it oral or written.
In documenting his findings, moreover, a historian needs to be chronological, analytical and objectively critical. These attributes distinguish his works from tales. Achieving these qualities means that such a student is prepared for the outside world. Dr. Faruq Boge was sure that a student with the above qualities can fit into public and private sectors, venture into entrepreneurship, work with international organisations and multinational corporations.
Federal and state ministries are possible employment spaces for a historian. A student of history could manage administrative and some technical positions in the ministry. This can be “ministries of communication, tourism, foreign affairs, and local government and chieftaincy.” A historian can secure employment opportunity at private or public research institutes—national and international—and civil society organisations. Here, think of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, NISER, among others. Civil service and federal character commissions are employment sectors for a student of history.
A historian by discipline may take up archival jobs and internships from private and public institutions. He can be an independent or salaried curator at museums and libraries. This can be at the state, national, or international levels. He can be a busy professor or consultant. He may also consider being an entrepreneur: he could write biographies of prominent personalities for business’s purpose. As part of entrepreneurship, a historian may write on community history—its market, festivals, leadership.
A historian can work with regional and supranational organisations such as ECOWAS and the United Nations Organisation.
Multinational corporations like, MTN, Nestle, Texaco among others are organisations where a historian can fit into, provided he has got the necessary skills. A historian can also venture into journalism, especially for the relationship between the two disciplines: History—the past, as it relates to journalism—the present. Lastly and most common, a historian excels in the academia as a teacher or lecturer.
With the above, Dr.Faruq Boge proved the economist in him to unravel the numerous opportunities available to students of history. His presentation was, for many, a succour.
But again, with regard to the possibility of these opportunities for an ordinary Nigerian citizens like me; Beyond criticism and radicality, Nigeria as a country is famous for her attribute of employing diverse specialists to occupy an absolutely different function.
My thinking is that employment in Nigeria is about how ‘connected’ you are; how long is your leg. Conversely, he was absolutely correct in his admonition to future historians to acquire some social and technical skills, alongside their fundamental research skills. These skills will make them independent and relevant. The BIMA-KWASU SHSN symposium was decisive for inviting the seasoned economic historian. Its action is commendable and motivating. In all, the university don demonstrated that the 21st century world is beyond the school walls. It is a world of innovation and creativity, with uncountable opportunities. It is no longer a world where you rely on government for employment. Not in Nigeria!
•Muhammed is of the Department of History and International Studies, Lagos State University. [email protected]