University of Ibadan Appoints Professor Olaoluwa as Director of TETFund Centre for Diaspora Studies

The University of Ibadan has appointed Professor Senayon Olaoluwa as the inaugural Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence for Diaspora Studies.

Mar 21, 2024 - 17:52

University of Ibadan Appoints Professor Olaoluwa as Director of TETFund Centre for Diaspora Studies

The University of Ibadan has appointed Professor Senayon Olaoluwa, the founding Head of Diaspora and Transnational Studies at the Institute of African Studies, as the inaugural Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence for Diaspora Studies.

According to a statement from the University authorities, the appointment, effective from March 1, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the establishment of the Center.

The Center has secured a TETFund take-off grant amounting to N250,000,000.00, dedicated to research initiatives aimed at creating a comprehensive database for the Nigerian Diaspora, among other objectives.

This funding award is a testament to the longstanding partnership between the Diaspora and Transnational Studies program and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

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Additionally, the TETFund has allocated infrastructure support worth N1,000,000,000.00 to the new Centre, further bolstering its capacity to advance research and academic endeavors in Diaspora Studies.

In a remarkable convergence of events, Professor Senayon Olaoluwa's project, inspired by his Diaspora theory, received a pilot grant from the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa, USA.

Utilizing Olaoluwa's theory of "extalgia," the consortium comprising scholars from the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa, the College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan, and the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ibadan, will embark on a research project titled "Emigration and Mental Health Outcomes among the Left-behind Families in Ibadan, Nigeria."

This collaborative effort underscores the interdisciplinary nature of Diaspora Studies and highlights the University of Ibadan's commitment to addressing critical issues affecting diasporic communities.

Professor Olaoluwa's appointment and the establishment of the TETFund Centre for Diaspora Studies herald a new chapter in research excellence and academic innovation at the University of Ibadan, reaffirming its position as a leader in the field of Diaspora Studies both nationally and internationally.