Prof Abiodun Alao is first black African to give inaugural lecture at London's Kings College

NIGERIAN academic Professor Abiodun Alao will become the first black African ever to deliver an inaugural lecture at King’s College University of London today when he takes to the podium later today.

 

Since the institution was established in 1829, it has never had a black African deliver such a lecture and it was not until two years ago that Professor Alao was conferred with professorial title.  A professor of African Studies, he was conferred alongside his Nigerian counterpart in the institution’s African Leadership Centre Professor Funmi Olonisakin, making them first black Africans to attain professorial cadre at the institution since its establishment.

 

Both appointments have been confirmed in a letter by the institution’s president and principal, Professor Edward Byrne, justifying their elevations based on their contributions to African peace and security. According to Professor Byrne, Professor Alao had published several single-authored books, well-researched journal articles and occasional papers, among others, whose findings and recommendations have largely helped establish peace and boost security in many African countries.

 

Kings College, which has produced 12 Nobel laureates among its professors, said that Professor Alao had distinguished himself, citing about 100 widely recognized academic articles and encyclopaedia entries he had published, all of which were assessed to accord him a professorial title. Aside his academic contributions, Professor Alao joins the long list of globally renowned academics the institution had produced whose research works have produced answers to different challenges of humanity and society since its establishment.

 

Today Professor Alao will deliver his inaugural lecture, titled, Africa:  A Voice to be Heard, Not a Problem to be Solved at the Edward Safra Lecture Theatre at the college’s main campus. It will be attended by many people from different parts of the world, including from the United States, Australia, Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

 

Diverse assignments Professor Alao has undertaken for Kings College, include working for the United Nations, African Union, European Union, World Bank and the Economic Community of West African States.  He was also part of a four-man team that undertook a comprehensive threat assessment for Rwanda immediately after the 1994 genocide and was on the group of academic experts that advised former UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan on the civil war in Sierra Leone.

 

Professor Alao also co-authored the Concept Note for the Common Defence and Security Policy for the Africa Union and was the co-author of the first post-Civil War National Security Strategy Framework for Liberia. In addition, he was a member of the team that worked on the Development of Donor Countries Effectiveness in Fragile States.

 

Ranking among the top 20 universities in the world, King’s College London holds a unique position in global scholarship. Among its landmark research works include research that led to the discovery of the famous genetic testing, DNA undertaken at the college by Professor Maurice Wilkins, while another retired scholar of the institution, Professor John Lister, developed antiseptic surgery.