Biodata of Speaker:

Matthew Ola-Rotimi Ajayi is a Professor of Political Science at the Federal University Lokoja. He is a trans-disciplinary scholar with degrees in Political Science, History and Business Administration. His area of specialization is Comparative Politics with emphasis on Democratization and Civil Society in Africa. His extensive research work covers the role of organized labor in Nigeria’s democratic process.

He attended St. Mary Primary School Kabba (1969-1974); St Augustine College Kabba (1974-1979) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1980-1984), graduating in the B.Sc. Political Science programme, Second Class Upper Division. Throughout his undergraduate years, Professor Ajayi was a Federal Government Scholar, having won Federal Government Merit Award,1981-1984. He participated in the Federal Government of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps scheme between 1984 and 1985. His place of primary assignment was the Anambra State College of Education, Awka, a degree awarding institution affiliated to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he was posted as a young Lecturer in the Department of Government.

In 1986, he proceeded to the University of Ilorin for further studies. That sojourn fetched him the Master of Science Degree, Political Science, 1988; Master of Business Administration (1999); and a Doctorate in 2000.

Professor Ajayi has over three decades of unbroken service record as a university teacher and administrator. He started with the University of Ilorin as an Assistant Lecturer in February 1989. In 1993, he won the prestigious Fulbright fellowship that took him to Stanford University and the University of Texas at Austin, both in the United States of America.

He returned to the University of Ilorin and by 1996 was promoted Senior Lecturer. He was Head, Department of Political Science while on sabbatical at the Delta State University Abraka2003-2005. In 2005 he joined the prestigious Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state, Nigeria as Professor of Political Science. There, at various times, he was Head, Department of Political Science and International Relations (formerly Policy and Strategic Studies), and Dean College of Business and Social Sciences, 2006-2010.

Professor Ajayi was appointed the foundational Vice-Chancellor, Landmark University Omuaran, Kwara State, Nigeria in January 2011, He served for four academic sessions, which culminated in the graduation of the first set of its students in July 2014.

In 2015, Professor Ajayi joined the services of the Federal University, Lokoja, and he is currently actively engaged in teaching, research and community development. In 2019, he was appointed Acting Dean to steer the ship of the University’sFaculty of Social Sciences, which had just been carved out of the then Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He held that position for one year. He has been a member of the University Governing Council, the highest policy making organ of the University since 2018, serving both the 2nd and the 3rd Councils as the Representative of the University Senate. He is the Chairman of the University Senate Business Committee, member of other statutory committees and bodies, and currently the Director of the Federal University Lokoja Institute of Governance and Development Studies.

Synopsis of Lecture: