ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the author's professional experience as an Indigenous African archaeologist. He have also realized that being an Indigenous African archaeologist educated in Nigeria and the United States does not necessarily guarantee equal opportunities to the means of succeeding in the profession. Both the Archaeology and History Departments offered combined honors degrees, so it was easier for him to opt for a combined degree in those subjects. He joined the African and African American Studies Department at Arizona State University in 2001 as assistant professor. Though it is not a traditional anthropology department, he has been able to continue his research while also teaching courses in the history, archaeology, arts, and culture of Africa. The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) is the second largest employer of archaeologists in Nigeria, so one would expect a substantial amount of research to originate there. To succeed in the profession, Indigenous African archaeologists must have self-confidence, as well as the ability.
