Paul-Kolade Tubi, Ph.D*
Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State,

Abstract
“Colonial and indeed all European anthropologists working in Africa and Asia
interpreted and still interpret behaviour in relation to their own interests and
experiences; their ideas are not truths self-evident in the cultures they studied”
(Bassey W. Andah, 1988:10). It is incumbent on African anthropologists,
archaeologists, historians and social scientists to become seriously preoccupied
with deconstructing African cultural studies. This task was eminently championed
by scholars like Cheik Anta Diop, Walter Rodney, Bassey W. Andah and Chinweizu
amongst others. Professor Andah is said to be the first African doctoral
anthropologist with specialization in Archaeology. He taught at universities in
Ghana and Nigeria. He became a professor in 1978. He was the founding president
of the Archaeological Association of Nigeria and secretary of the Pan-African
Association of Pre-History and Related studies. He was the first African editor of
the West African Journal of Archaeology (WAJA).The writer assesses what he
considers the major contributions of Andah to African Anthropology.