Prof Damilola Taiye AGBALAJOBI

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Prof Damilola Taiye AGBALAJOBI

Professor

Position: Professor of Political Science

Areas of Expertise: International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Gender Studies

Office: Room 6, Ground Floor, Faculty of Social Sciences

Email: dtagbalajobi@oauife.edu.ng

 

Introduction

I am Professor of Political Science with over two decades of teaching, research, and policy engagement experience. My work is driven by a commitment to understanding and addressing the persistent challenges of gender inequality, democratic governance, and social resilience in Africa. I investigate how political institutions, cultural norms, and social movements intersect to shape opportunities for participation, representation, and inclusion, particularly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

My intellectual journey began with questions about women’s underrepresentation in Nigeria’s political system. Over the years, this focus has expanded into a wider agenda that explores the gendered dimensions of governance, the dynamics of conflict and peacebuilding, and the challenges of urban transformation in African cities. My research engages both local and global debates, contributing evidence that not only advances scholarship but also informs policymaking and development practice.

Academic Profile

I am the author of Promoting Gender Equality in Political Participation: New Perspectives on Nigeria (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), a monograph that consolidates my early research on women’s political participation and provides fresh insights into the structural and cultural barriers to gender equality in Nigeria’s democratic process. Beyond this book, I have published more than 50 articles, book chapters, and policy reports, appearing in internationally respected outlets such as World Development, Current Climate Change Reports, The Journal of African and Postcolonial Studies, and several Palgrave handbooks.

My scholarship is multidisciplinary and comparative, connecting political science with development studies, security studies, and urban studies. I employ a wide range of methodologies—including ethnography, qualitative interviews, survey research, and political settlement analysis—to examine how institutions, actors, and ideas interact in shaping political outcomes. This has allowed me to contribute new perspectives to debates on women’s political representation, peace and security, the governance of African cities, and the inclusion of marginalized groups in democratic processes.

In addition to advancing academic knowledge, my research has consistently sought to bridge scholarship and practice. Through collaborations with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), York University, and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), I have worked to ensure that my findings inform public policy, strengthen institutional capacity, and promote inclusive governance across Nigeria and beyond.

Grants & Fellowships

I have secured and led several competitive research grants. Most recently, I am Principal Investigator of a ₦32 million TETFUND National Research Fund project (2023–2024) on disability inclusion in Nigerian elections. I am also a political settlement researcher with the African Cities Research Consortium (funded by the UK FCDO), where I lead work on Lagos, and have contributed to projects supported by IDRC/GAC, ARUA–UKRI, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).

I have held fellowships with the Global Forum on Democracy and Development (OSUN, Universidad de los Andes), the African Studies Centre Leiden, and IDS, Brighton, reflecting my strong commitment to global academic exchange and applied research impact.

Policy Engagement

My research is designed not only to advance scholarly debates but also to generate practical insights that can shape governance and development outcomes. Over the years, I have worked with a wide range of policy and practitioner communities in Nigeria and internationally, translating academic findings into policy briefs, reports, workshops, and training programmes that address real-world challenges.

I have collaborated with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the African Cities Research Consortium, where I contribute political settlement analyses that inform urban governance strategies in Lagos and other African cities. I have also partnered with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in the UK on projects exploring gendered dimensions of governance in fragile and conflict-affected settings, as well as on compliance with public health measures during COVID-19.

As Principal Investigator of the TETFUND disability inclusion project, I am working directly with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), disability rights organizations, and policymakers to strengthen institutional reforms that support inclusive democratic processes.

Beyond research projects, I regularly design and deliver capacity-building workshops on gender-inclusive planning, critical thinking, and social science research methods. These trainings have reached diverse audiences, including university faculty, graduate students, community development associations, and civil society organizations across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, and the UK.

My expertise has been sought in policy advisory and peer review roles, including service as a member of the UKRI International Development Peer Review College, external examination of doctoral theses across Africa, and board membership of women-in-science networks such as the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD).

Through these activities, I aim to ensure that my scholarship contributes to building inclusive institutions, strengthening democratic resilience, and promoting gender equality in Nigeria, across Africa, and globally.

Teaching & Mentoring

Teaching and mentorship are central to my academic career. At Obafemi Awolowo University, I design and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate courses that cover core areas of political science and my areas of specialization. At the undergraduate level, I have taught courses such as Political Thought, The Methodology of Comparative Research, Politics of Development and Underdevelopment, Gender and Politics, and Theories of War and Strategies for Peace. At the graduate level, I have taught Theories of Political Development and Modernization, Political Socialization and Cultural Change, and Society and Politics in Africa.

In addition to classroom teaching, I am deeply committed to supervising and mentoring students at all levels. I have supervised multiple MSc dissertations on topics including electoral reform, political corruption, security governance, and humanitarian crises, as well as PhD theses on issues such as regional security alliances, anti-corruption measures, democratisation, and the political economy of development.

My mentorship extends beyond Obafemi Awolowo University. I have served as an external examiner for doctoral dissertations at the University of Zululand, the University of Pretoria, the University of Fort Hare, and the University of Johannesburg. These roles have allowed me to contribute to strengthening doctoral training and research quality across African universities.

I also contribute to capacity-building initiatives outside formal university settings. Through workshops and summer schools in Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, the Netherlands, and the UK, I have trained early-career researchers, civil society practitioners, and postgraduate students in gender analysis, qualitative and multi-method research design, and inclusive governance frameworks.

By combining teaching, supervision, and international mentorship, I seek to foster the next generation of scholars and practitioners who will continue advancing inclusive governance, gender equality, and democratic resilience in Africa and beyond.

Professional Service

I am an active member of the International Political Science Association, the African Studies Association, and the Conflict Research Network West Africa, among others.

 

 

 

Selected Publications

  • Agbalajobi, D. T. (2021). Promoting Gender Equality in Political Participation: New Perspectives on Nigeria. Rowman & Littlefield.
  • Agbalajobi, D., Awal, M., Lawanson, T., & Paller, J. W. (2025). Claiming the city: Citizenship and political connections in African neighborhoods. World Development, 192, 107010.
  • Onifade, V., Agbalajobi, D., Lawanson, T., & Huchzermeyer, M. (2024). Local government autonomy, electoral systems and social contracts in Nigeria. In Appelhans, N. et al. (eds.), Everyday Urban Practices in Africa. Routledge.
  • Agbalajobi, D. T., & Ngom, S. (2023). Banditry and gendered victimhood in Northern Nigeria. In Okoli, A. C., & Ngom, S. (eds.), Banditry and Security Crisis in Nigeria. Routledge.
  • Agbalajobi, D. T. (2022). Africa in peacekeeping operations in a changing global order. In Oloruntoba, S. O. & Falola, T. (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Africa and the Changing Global Order. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Ayanlade, A., Sergi, C. M., Di Carlo, P., Ayanlade, O. S., & Agbalajobi, D. T. (2020). When climate turns nasty: Implications for ecological and human health. Current Climate Change Reports, 6(3).
  • Agbalajobi, D. T. (2010). Women’s participation and the political process in Nigeria: Problems and prospects. African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 4(2), 75–82.
  • Other publications can be accessed here on my Google Scholar Page.

Recent Conferences & Invited Talks

  • “Bullets, Batons and Silence: Analyzing the State’s Response to the 2024 ‘End Bad Governance’ Protest in Nigeria,” Mobilization, Democracy and Development Conference, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia (May 2025).
  • “Women and Conflict Economies’ Role in Peacebuilding in Northern Adamawa State, Nigeria,” International Conference on African Women, Civil Wars & Peacebuilding, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (May 2023).
  • “International Election Observation from a Gender Lens,” Nigeria 2023 Election Series, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (December 2022).
  • “The Sustenance of African Gender Equality Beyond Rhetoric,” Feminist Theory and Gender Studies Global Voices Seminar, King’s College London (November 2022).
  • “How Conflict Affects Women and How Women Shape Conflict in Nigeria,” WIDER Development Conference: The Puzzle of Peace – Towards Inclusive Development in Fragile Contexts, Helsinki, Finland (May 2022).
  • “Gender Issues in Social Science Research in Africa,” 3rd International Interdisciplinary Conference on Language Affairs, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia (October 2021).
  • “Geopolitical Analysis of Violence against Women in Nigerian Politics,” Resisting Women’s Political Leadership: Theories, Data, Solutions Conference, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (May 2017).

Media & Public Engagement

I regularly engage wider audiences through blogs, policy briefs, and expert commentary. My work has been featured in:

  • The Conversation Africa:
  • IDS Blogs: “Cities and COVID-19: Key lessons and research imperatives for Nigeria”
  • Policy briefs and working papers with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and African Cities Research Consortium, including on women’s participation, trust in government, and compliance with COVID-19 measures

Through these outlets, I aim to translate academic research into accessible insights that inform public debate, policymaking, and advocacy for gender equality and democratic resilience.

Contact & Links

Email: dtagbalajobi@oauife.edu.ng
Google Scholar Profile | ORCID | The Conversation Articles