Prof. Azeez O. Olaniyan photograph

Prof. Azeez O. Olaniyan

Professor

Faculty of Social Science · Department of Political Science

Specialization Comparative Politics

Phone: +2348032290475

Email: azeez.olaniyan@fuoye.edu.ng

Biography

Professor Azeez Olusola Olaniyan was born to the family of Pa Mohammed and Princess Fayomade Olaniyan at Olowatishi Compound, Uba Quarter, Ogotun Ekiti in Ekiti Southwest Local Government area of Ekiti State. He had his primary and secondary education at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School and Ogotun High School, Ogotun Ekiti, respectively. He worked for some time as an accounts clerk at Ojorube Grammar School, Ogotun Ekiti, before proceeding to the Polytechnic, Ibadan, for a National Diploma in Mass Communication. He emerged as the best graduating student, and won the Departmental Best Prize. In his quest for more knowledge, he enrolled at the University of Ibadan for a degree in Political Science, again emerging on top of the class. After his national service, he returned to his alma mater, UI, for an MSc in Political Science in 2002, and capped it with a PhD in the same discipline in 2007. He received a Certificate in Ethnic and Racial Studies from the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil in August, 2008. He did his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard Campus, Durban, South Africa in 2013. After his youth service at Command Secondary School, Shadawanka Barracks, Bauchi, he was employed by the Ekiti State Primary Education Board (now State Universal Basic Education Board) as an Executive Officer and rose to the rank of a Senior Executive Officer before joining the University of Ado Ekiti (now Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti) as an Assistant Lecturer. Fifteen years later, in year 2020, he was headhunted by the then Vice Chancellor, Professor Kayode Soremekun, to join the Federal University Oye Ekiti as a professor of political science. His research focuses largely on peace and conflict resolution, security studies, political ecology, governance, and international relations with emphasis on Nigeria,

Research Interests

Peace, Conflict and Security Studies
Democratic Governance
Political Ecology
International Politics

Qualifications

Selected Publications

  1. Guardians or Gatekeepers? Security agencies and electoral integrity in Nigeria
    Authors: Bello, AO, Akinlade, MA; Olaniyan, AO
    International Journal of Criminology and Security Studies (2026)
  2. Chaotic party primaries and democratic consolidation in Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO & Ariyo, O
    African Journal of Develomental Integrity and Peace Studies (2026)
  3. A Comparative Review of the Federal Security Models in Nigeria and the United States of America
    Authors: Akapoti-Ajibola, SJ, Olaniyan, AO & Iseolorunkanmi, J.
    Perspectives on Federalism, 17 (1): 82-121 (2025)
  4. Ungoverned spaces and kidnapping in Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    The Political Economy of Kidnapping and Insecurity in Nigria (2024)
  5. Mortal ‘mistakes’, fatal consequences: understanding Nigeria’s mis-targeted counter-insurgency airstrike fatalities
    Authors: Okoli CO, Olaniyan, AO & Ayegbusi, TR
    Small Wars & Insurgencies (2024)
  6. Of dancing python and smiling crocodile: Interrogting military visibility in Nigeria’s democratic space,
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO, Omilusi, MO & Bello, AO
    Security Science Journal (2024)
  7. When two elephants’ fight: Insurgency, counterinsurgency and environmental sufferings in northeastern Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO & Ufo Okeke-Uzodike
    Journal of Contemporary African Studies (2021)
  8. Election sophistication and the changing contours of vote buying in Nigeria’s 2019 general elections
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, (2020)
  9. An Investigation into the causes and effects of women political underrepresentation in Ogun State, Nigeria
    Authors: Elias, M. O; Olaniyan, A
    International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Sciences (2020)
  10. A bad child has his own day: Gwama Boys and post-conflict peace-building dilemma in oil-bearing communities of Ondo state, Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    African Identities (2020)
  11. Foliage and violence: Interrogating forests as a security threat in Nigeria
    Authors: African Security Review
    African Security Review (2018)
  12. Innovative anti-corruption measures and institution building in Nigeria
    Authors: Arowolo, D & Olaniyan, A
    Journal of African Political Economy and Development (2018)
  13. Beyond the mantra of ‘stomach infrastructure’: Ekiti politics and the sociology of voting in the 2015 general elections
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management (2018)
  14. Climate war: Migration, adaptation and farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria
    Authors: Akinyemi, TE & Olaniyan, AO
    Conflict Studies Quarterly (2017)
  15. The politics of renewed quest for Biafra republic in Nigeria,
    Authors: Johnson, I & Olaniyan, AO
    Defense and Security Analysis (2017)
  16. Nigeria and vision 20:2020: Building castle in the air?
    Authors: Olaniyan, A. O & Adetoye D
    Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science (2016)
  17. What about the followers? Leadership-development deficits and the place of followership in Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    Ubuntu: Journal of Conflicts and Social Transformation (2016)
  18. Cows, Bandits, and Violent Conflicts: Understanding Cattle Rustling in Northern Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, A., & Yahaya, A.
    Africa Spectrum (2016)
  19. Desperate guests, unwilling hosts: climate change-induced migration and farmer-herder conflicts in south-western Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, A. O & Ufo Okeke-Uzodike
    Conflict Studies Quarterly (2015)
  20. Election as warfare: militarization of elections and the challenges of democratic consolidation in Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO & Amao, OB
    International Affairs Forum (2015)
  21. The cattle are Ghanaians but the herders are strangers: Farmer-herder conflicts, expulsion policy and pastoralist question in Agogo, Ghana
    Authors: Olaniyan, A. O, Michael Francis and Ufo Okeke-
    African Studies Quarterly (2015)
  22. Africa’s great green wall and the lessons of history
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    UNILAG Journal of Politics (2015)
  23. Boko Haram and the challenges of securing the Nigerian state
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    African Renaissance (2015)
  24. Fulani-Konkomba conflict and management strategies in Gushiegu, Ghana
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    Journal of Applied Security Research (2015)
  25. Ethnic Crises and national security in Nigeria,
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO & Omotola, JS
    Defense and Security Analysis (2015)
  26. Proxy border wars and conflict resolution strategies in Mano River and Darfur regions of Africa
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    Afrika (2015)
  27. Boko Haram insurgency and the widening of cleavages in Nigeria
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO & Asuelime, L
    African Security (2014)
  28. Minorization of the majority: the politics of Ekiti state creation and the limits of homogeneity thesis in Nigeria
    Authors: Adetoye D & Olaniyan, AO &
    Journal of Social Sciences (2014)
  29. From Accommodation to Discrimination and Exclusion: The changing Contour of Inter-Group Relations in Africa
    Authors: Olaniyan, AO
    African Journal of Political Science (2008)

Awards

Grants

Scholarship

Prizes

Membership of Professional Bodies

Paper Presentation - Local

Paper Presentation - International

Postgraduate Ph.D Supervision

Postgraduate M.Sc Supervision

Course Teaching

Custom Fields

Member of Governing Council: Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, 2025-Date

Vice Chair: African Politics Conference Group (APCG), 2021-2023

Chairman,: Committee on Drafting of Ekiti State Youth Policy, Ministry of Youth Development, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria, 2024-2025

Chairman, publicity subcommittee: Ansar-Ud-Deen Society at 75 Anniversary in Ekiti State, 2025

National President: Ogotun Development Union, 2024-Date

Chairman, Caretaker Committee: Ekiti South West Local Government, Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State, 2010-2012

President: Ifelodun Age-Grade Group, Uba Quarter, Ogotun Ekiti, 2008-Date

Member of Education Committee: Muslim Ummah of Southwestern Nigeria (MUSWEN), 2021-Date

Chairman Publicity Committee: Coronation Ceremony of Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti, 2023

Member of subcommittee: African Studies Review Best Africa-Focused Dissertation Prize, 2023

Member of Board of Trustees: Ogotun Hall of Fame, 2025-Date

Guest Editor: Kujenga Amani Special Edition for Nigeria 2019 General Election

Guest Editor: Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict Transformation, 2015

Guest Editor: African Renaissance, 2016

Editor-in-Chief: Studies in Social Sciences, 2023-2025

Facilitator: Meeting of ECOWAS Directors and Heads of Institutions to review the compact of the future of regional integration in West Africa, Accra, Ghana, 6th - 8th May, 2026

Facilitator: ECOWAS Regional Consultative Meeting on the “Future of Trade, Economic Integration and Sustainable Development in West Africa” in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 2nd – 6th March, 2026

Facilitator: High-Level Reflections Conference on “The Future of Democratic Governance, Constitutional Order and Good Governance in West Africa”, organized by ECOWAS Commission in Accra, Ghana, on 24-26 September, 2025

Chair: Panel on Democracy in West Africa at the American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Convention Centre, Philadelphia, PA, 07 September, 2024

Lead Discussant/Reviewer: Virtual Book Launch - Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants in Africa, organized by the African Peacebuilding Network, New York, 25 March, 2024

Lead Discussant: African Research Development Group (RDG), at the American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting held at Los Angeles Convention Centre, Los Angeles, CA, 29-30 August, 2023

Co-panelist: International Conference on Leadership and Governance for Sustainable Development and Wealth Creation, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, 19 October, 2023

Co-leader: Dissertation Workshop on Political Violence, a short course/training programme for advanced doctoral students at the American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 14 -17 September, 2022

Lead Facilitator: African Research Development Group (RDG) short course/training programme for emerging African Scholars at the American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, 29 September – 03 October, 2021

Co-panelist: International Colloquium on The Challenges of Governing North Africa and the Sahel, sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), Washington, DC, 8 May, 2018

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