Professor Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi

Category: Who is who in Kogi State

Olayemi Akinwumi is a professor of African History. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja in December 2020. Before that appointment, he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

He hails from Ekinrin Adde, Ijumu LGA of Kogi State.

He went to Omupo Grammar School, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

He had his higher education at the University of Ilorin where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in 1985 followed by Master’s and PhD degrees in History in the same university. He is a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), and former President of the Historical Society, the first Academic Society in Nigeria.

Professor Olayemi Akinwumi began his academic career at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and rose to become a senior Lecturer in 1996. He was at the Institut fur Ethonogie, Freie Universitat, Berlin from 1999 to 2004. He joined the services of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi since 2004 until December 2020 when he left as Deputy Vice-Chancellor to become the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja.

He has won many international and national academic awards. Among the awards are the Prof Ali Mazrui academic awards for Academic Excellence in Kenya, the Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Study Award (South Africa), the prestigious German Alexander von Humboldt award, Universitat Zurich (Switzerland) Nord-Sud-Kooperation Award, Europe Research Award (in University College, London) the Institute of Commonwealth Studies award (University of London), the German Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdiendt (DAAD), UNESCO Scholar (Committee for the Pedagogical Use of the General History of African Project in 2011) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) scholars at several times. He also had the Bayo kuku award by the Nigeria Academy of Letters.

Professor Akinwumi has served in various capacities in the University. He was the first substantive HOD History (2004-2007). He was the Deputy Dean of Arts (2004-2006). He was the Dean of Arts (2006-2010). In 2009, he was elected the Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors. The same year, he was elected Senate representative in the Governing Council where he served in many committees.

In 2017, he was appointed as the Director of Institute of Governance and Development Studies In 2018 he became the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies and in 2019, he was appointed for the second time, the Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors.

He is an erudite scholar with over 70 publications in national and international journals. Two of his major works are Conflict and Crises in Nigeria: A Political history since 1960 and the Colonial Contest for the Nigerian Region: A History of the German Participation. Both books were published in Germany. He has attended conferences in over 30 countries in the world.