Damilola Agbalajobi, a specialist in gender studies, peace and conflict, and political economy, has been appointed a professor of Political Science at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
Mrs Agbalajobi, who joined the institution as a lecturer in 2012, now ranks the university’s first female political science professor since its establishment in 1962.
The promotion was approved by the university’s Appointment and Promotions Committee at its meeting on Monday, 14 April, and is effective on 1 October 2024.
The professor, who is also on the Lagos team of the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) alongside the Team Lead and Editor-in-Chief of DevReporting, is also currently on a fellowship as a senior research fellow with the Open Society University Network (OSUN) Forum on Democracy and Development at the Bogota Hub – Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia.
In an interaction with one of her former students and Editor of Dubawa, Africa’s leading fact-checking platform, Kemi Busari, the don expressed her gratitude to God for granting her the privilege to reach the peak of her academic career after years of dedication and hard work.
She was quoted as saying: “I am sincerely overwhelmed and grateful to God for the privilege of becoming a Professor of Political Science at Obafemi Awolowo University. I joined the university exactly 13 years ago, in March 2012. At that time, I was pursuing my PhD at the University of Lagos.
“I want to thank God for all the people who have been instrumental in this journey so far. I thank my supervisors at the University of Lagos. I also want to appreciate those I met along the way – those who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, and those who have mentored me.”
Colleagues, associates, hail appointment
While participating in a workshop organised by the ACRC Lagos team on Tuesday, scholars and associates took turns to hail the new professor, commending her great contributions to the research consortium and society at large.
In her welcome address at the forum, Professor of Urban Management and Governance at the University of Lagos, Taibat Lawanso, expressed her joy over Mrs Agbalajobi’s promotion.
Mrs Lawanson, who doubles as Leverhulme Professor of Planning and Heritage at the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, said it was a thing of joy that at both individual and communal levels, members of the Lagos team of ACRC are breaking new grounds.
Also speaking, the ACRC’s Director of Uptake, Ismail Ibraheem, a professor, thanked Mrs Agbalajobi for her service to humanity, saying the latest elevation is a call to more responsibilities.
The Lagos ACRC City Manager, Temilade Sesan, described the new feat as an inspiration to the team, even as she urged the new professor to remain steadfast in her efforts to help lift Nigerians out of various challenges.
Former students too
According to Mr Busari, many former students of Mrs Agbalajobi have also continued to react to the news, hailing their former lecturer’s scholarship and excellence.
He listed those who commented to include Adebayo Hassan, a journalist with Associated Press and Sikiru Akinola who currently manages Strategic Communications.
They described their mentor’s elevation as a boost for their alma mater and the political science department in particular.
“I had long expected it. This is one woman who has shown scholarship. Though briefly, she taught us towards the last part of our undergraduate days. She did the same during my postgraduate degree which I later abandoned. It is a plus for our department as it came when it was needed most. This has increased the number of professors in the department,” Mr Akinola was quoted to have said.
On his part, Mr Adebayo reportedly recalled Mrs Agbalajobi’s “tremendous support, empathy, and unwavering willingness to go above and beyond to assist students.”
He was quoted to have said: “She became a political science faculty member at Ife during our third year, taking a political analysis course. What became apparent was not only the depth of her knowledge, but also her warmth and large heartedness, easily bringing her close to many of us, including young ladies, who needed a fine example.
“She later became our course advisor and it was for her dedication – literally moving from one department to another to ensure computation of our results – that we were quickly mobilised for NYSC, just months after our final exams, an unusual at Ife then.”
About Agbalojobi
Mrs Agbalajobi was formerly a lecturer at Redeemer’s University, a private university once located in Mowe, Ogun State but now based in Ede, Osun State. She moved to OAU in 2012.
She holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Ilorin in 1997 and 2006 respectively, and a PhD from the University of Lagos in 2017.
Mrs Agbalajobi is a fellow of LeidenASC in the Netherlands, the Nigerian Young Academy (NYA) and the Ife Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS).
Her book, “Promoting Gender Equality in Political Participation: New Perspectives on Nigeria,” was published in 2021.
Mrs Agbalajobi has also won many travel grants to attend and present papers at various conferences on various aspects of politics and developmental studies.
She is also a member of many academic societies, including the Nigerian Political Science Association and the Nigeria Young Academy.
