Alumnus are like mirrors, they show you what can be possible, rather what is possible. What you are currently experiencing, they have experienced it, which is why we have to borrow the wisdom and as students of history, those words of wisdom is what we are interested in and that is why THE ALUMNI CORNER exists.
On the ALUMNI CORNER series, we will be reaching out to alumnis of history and international studies across various universities and we would be asking them questions, questions You are curious about. If you have such question, we would love to hear from you
On this first episode of the Alumni Corner, we spoke with MR AJAYI OLUWAFEMI EMMANUEL, An alumni and one-time president of the Department of History and International Studies, UNILORIN.
Mr. Ajayi Emmanuel was a student of History and International Studies. He graduated in 2021,and now works as an HR resource manager.He is passionate about giving back to the community which brought about the BEYOND HISTORY summit, which aims to empower student of history and international studies at the university of Ilorin, Kwara state.
Here is what he has to tell people who are currently studying History and International Studies and the things he would have done differently if he was to start all over again.
WHAT IS THAT ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW AS A FRESHMAN?
One thing I wish I knew when I was a freshman is that it’s not just what you study that you will eventually need in the labour market.
You know, when we first entered, coming out of secondary school, there were a lot of things we didn’t know. We didn’t have the necessary information. But the university world breeded us and gave us an avenue to grow. The opportunities that were there, we developed them and made them work for us.
So, if there’s anything I wish I did better, it would be doing what I wanted to do, earlier.
During my 100, 200, and a part of 300 level, I never fully developed myself. It was not until I got to 300 level second semester, when I saw that I could do something and that for me, was politics. I have always had passion for politics, but I had never been involved in it or even voluntary programs. But that semester, I realized I wanted to do something better and develop myself.
So, I decided to go into departmental politics and see where that would lead me. I can say, some of the opportunities I saw after graduating, I was able to leverage it because of my undergraduate leadership position and the experience that came with it.
So, if there’s anything I could have done better, it would be to take advantage of the opportunities around me and actually use them to develop myself.
WHAT ARE THE MYTHS ABOUT THIS FIELD OF STUDY THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO DEBUNK?
One of the myths about this course is that you can’t get a good job with the degree and that is wrong. As a student of history and international studies, you can get a good job with your degree.
Another myth is that we don’t get recruitment opportunities. Yes, this is partly due to the kind of labour market we find ourselves in, but a lot of things are changing, the world is evolving and that is no longer the case.
History degree alone might not get you what you desire but you need it as a certificate alongside some skills that will put you at the forefront and give you an edge over others.
There are a lot of myths, but those are the ones that come to mind right now. For the longest time, the relevance of History wasn’t known, but in recent times, there’s been an effort to revive History, kudos to the government for that. A lot of things are evolving. And again, kudos to the schools offering it whether it's History and International Studies, History and Diplomatic Studies, or even International Studies.
With History too, you can make money. But you can’t make money with just the certificate. You need relevant certifications and you need to upskill yourself.
A MESSAGE TO THE HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES UNDERGRADUATES
Get mentorship.
Do not limit yourself.
Be consistent.
Have dedication.
And look beyond History.
Beyond History, there is more. There is more to life than that degree.
You might be a student of History and have passion for other things. For example, if you have passion for photography, you can blend that with History. You can be a historian-photographer. We have content creators.There are journalists too. Some even dive into product design.
Being a student of History has imbibed in your critical thinking and analytical skills. Capitalize on that and blend it into what you have passion for. For example, Administration is a skill on its own. For me, I fell in love with Human Resources and Administration. So anything Admin, I love it. That passion together with my leadership and other experiences I've had, That was how I found my place.
So, develop skills beyond History. Honestly, it will give you relevance. History as a field is relevant, but the skills are what will set you apart.
A lot of things are evolving and you need to move with the times.
