By Yunus S Saliu
One of the first programs to have a Masters level and a degree program at the University of The Gambia as far back as 2007 is history and it is one of the first programs to have a professor at the university to coordinates the Master’s program which is in its fifth year.
Hassoum Ceesay, an Adjunct Lecturer of History at the University of The Gambia in an interview with this reporter stated that no country can build patriot without historian.
History as one of the programs to reach masters level at the University, he said needs to be given a priority rather than discouraging intended students as they were not giving scholarships to study the subject.
He said the number of students enrolling for the subject are declining compare to the past the reason being the fact that priorities are given to the science students “even teachers studying education will tell you that I chose history but there is hardly any sponsorship,” he lamented.
This, according to him, is the reason why students are not majoring in history but as an elective subject to be fulfilled as a requirement (but not as to major it).
It is a disaster, he said, to have just few people Majoring history because every country which The Gambia is not excluded needs historians, researchers to tell and write the past of the country. He affirmed that “everyone is complaining that The Gambia history is not written, and a country without history is doom because you cannot build patriot if you don’t have historian. It is historians who mentor patriots that love their country and want something for their country.”
As every effort is being made to upgrade history program in the university especially now that the university authority is planning to have a PhD program. Ceesay called on both private sector and government departments to help students studying history with scholarships because “it is a very important subject.”
Among other importance of history highlighted, is that it discloses the identity of a nation, though scientists are needed “but we need Gambia identity to nurture and this can only be done through research, writing and history.”
He emphasized that history can create lots of jobs opportunity like other courses a few examples are tourism, heritage site, museum, and most of the tourists that visited the Gambia are attracted by our culture and history.
Therefore, by studying history at the university, he continued, you can as well fit in any sector or even help to develop both private and community museums. You can also work as archaeologist, tour guides etc to name a few.
In addition, he argued that most of the efficient administrators The Gambia ever have were historians.
