UNILORIN Appoints First Female Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies

The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has appointed its first female professor of Peace and Conflict Studies. Dr. Abosede R. Omowumi Babatunde assumes this prestigious role at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies within the university.

Dr. Babatunde’s academic journey is marked by excellence. She holds both a Master’s degree and a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Notably, she was recognized as the best graduating student in her cohort during her Master’s program. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the same institution.

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Her scholarly achievements extend beyond her degrees. Dr. Babatunde has received several distinguished academic fellowships, including the African Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010) and the American Council of Learned Societies Research Fellowship in Peace Studies (2013) at the Consortium for Peace Studies, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In 2019, she contributed her expertise as a Guest Researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden. Dr. Babatunde’s commitment to scholarship continues with her current roles as a 2023 Landhaus Fellow at the Rachel Carson Centre for Environment and Society and a 2024 Afox Visiting Research Fellow (Africa-Oxford Initiative) at Merton College and the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

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Her active participation in academic and professional associations underscores her dedication to peace studies. Dr. Babatunde is a member of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, the African Studies Association, the American Political Science Association (APSA), and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA). She also contributes to the African Peacebuilding Research Network of the Social Science Research Council, the West Africa Peace and Security Network (WAPSN), and the Environmental Peacebuilding Association (EnPAx).

Her involvement extends globally as an Advocate Member of the Global Association of Human Trafficking Scholars and a member of the German Studies Association (GSA) Environmental Studies Network.

As the Coordinator of the international program at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Dr. Babatunde plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of peace scholars. Her leadership extends to chairing numerous committees and serving as the Desk Officer for the Centre’s engagement with government agencies and civil society organizations.