A Nigerian academic, Professor Abiodun Alao, will today deliver
inaugural lecture at King's College, University of London, making him
the first black African scholar to deliver such lecture since the
institution was established in 1829.
Alao, a professor of African Studies, was conferred with professorial
title about two years ago alongside his Nigerian counterpart in the
institution's African Leadership Centre, Prof. Funmi Olonisakin,
making them first black Africans to attain professorial cadre at the
institution since its establishment.
The appointments have been confirmed in a letter by the institution's
President and Principal, Prof. Edward Byrne AC, justifying their
elevations based on their contributions to African peace and security.
According to a statement obtained by Vanguard yesterday, Alao had
published several single-authored books, well-researched journal
articles and occasional papers, among others, which findings and
recommendations "have largely helped establish peace and boost
security in many African countries."
In an institution that produced 12 Nobel Laureates among its
professors, the statement said Alao had distinguished himself, citing
about 100 widely recognized 100 academic articles and encyclopedia
entries he had published, all of which were assessed to accord him
professorial title.
As an academic tradition globally,the statement said the Nigerian
academic would today 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.
The statement said the inaugural lecture, holding at the institution's
Edward Lecture Theatre on the Strand, "will be attended by many people
from different parts of the world, including from the United States,
Australia, Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria."
Aside his academic contributions, Alao joined the long list of
globally renowned academics the institution had produced and whose
research works had produced answers to different challenges of
humanity and society since its establishment.
The statement pointed diverse assignments Alao had undertaken for
international institution, which include the United Nations (UN),
African Union (AU), European Union (EU), World Bank, ECOWAS and for
many individual countries in Africa and beyond.
It added that Alao was part of the 4-person team that undertook "a
comprehensive threat assessment for Rwanda immediately after the 1994
genocide and was on the team of academic experts that advised former
UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan on the civil war in Sierra Leone.
"He 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.
He was a member of the team that worked on the Development of Donor
Countries Effectiveness in Fragile States, the statement said.
Ranking among the top 20 universities in the world, King's College
London holds a unique position in global scholarship, which the
statement said, was evident in the landmark research works the
institution's professors and alumni had conducted since its
establishment several decades ago.
Among its landmark research works, the statement cited the research
that led to the discovery of the famous genetic testing, DNA
undertaken at the College by Prof. Maurice Wilkins, while another
retired scholar of the institution, Prof. John Lister, developed
Antiseptic Surgery.
It cited the researches of Prof. Charles Wheatstone, who "invented the
first working telegraphs line and Prof. James Maxwell, who began
humanity's first steps towards a unified theory of physics by bringing
magnetism and electricity together in a research that paved way for
radio, television, radar and mobile phones."The College also has among
its former Professors, Thomas Hodgkin, who discovered the Hodgkin
disease that was named after him and John Danrell who invented the
world's first battery," the statement added.
Source: Vanguard
