Funmi Olonisakin (born 8 February 1965) is a

British Nigerian British Nigerians (here meaning British people of Nigerian descent rather than Nigerians of British descent) have formed long-established communities in London, Liverpool and other industrial cities. Many Nigerians and their British-born descend ...

scholar, who is a Professor of

leadership Leadership, is defined as the ability of an individual, group, or organization to "", influence, or guide other individuals, teams, or organizations. "Leadership" is a contested term. Specialist literature debates various viewpoints on the co ...

, peace and conflict at

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

as well as an Extra-Ordinary Professor at the

University of Pretoria The University of Pretoria (, ) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and ''de facto'' capital of South Africa. The university was established in 1908 as the Pretoria campus of the Johan ...

. She is the founder and former Director of the African Leadership Centre (ALC) which was established on the principle of

Pan-Africanism Pan-Africanism is a nationalist movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous peoples and diasporas of African ancestry. Based on a common goal dating back to the Atla ...

to build the next generation of leaders and scholars on the African continent with core transformational values. Olonisakin is the Programme Director of the ALC's

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

(MSc) program in Leadership, peace and security. She is also a research associate of

Political Sciences Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...

at the

, and has been an

Andrew Mellon Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, commonly known as the Mellon Foundation, is a New York City-based private foundation with wealth accumulated by Andrew Mellon of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the product of the 1969 merger o ...

distinguished scholar and a distinguished fellow of the

Geneva Centre for Security Policy The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) is an international foundation that was established in 1995 under Swiss law to "promote the building and maintenance of peace, security and stability". The GCSP was founded by the Federal Departmen ...

(GCSP). Currently, she is an appointed member of the

United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...

(UNSC) advisory group of experts. on the review of the UN Peace-building Architecture."Secretary-General Nominates Advisory Group of Experts on Review of Peacebuilding Architecture"
United Nations , Meetings Coverage and Press Releases, 22 January 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015. Olonisakin is currently the Vice President/ Principal (International) of King's College London. She was previously the Vice-Dean International, Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy, King's College London, she is the first black female professor and the first black woman to deliver an inaugural lecture at

Education

Born in South London in a Nigerian family, Funmi (Oluwafunmilayo) Olonisakin obtained her first degree at the

Obafemi Awolowo University Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal university in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1961 and classes commenced in October 1962 as the University of Ife by the regional government of Western Nigeria, which w ...

, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in

Political Science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

( BSc). She then earned her master's degree in War Studies, followed by her

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

in War Studies at

Career

In a career that spans many decades, Olonisakin has continued to build a critical mass movement of African leaders and scholars with intrinsic values that promote

pan-Africanism Pan-Africanism is a nationalist movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous peoples and diasporas of African ancestry. Based on a common goal dating back to the Atla ...

on integrity, respect for diversity, pursue of excellence, engaging the youth agency in Africa and independent thinking. She advocates for closing the bridges between the

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

policies Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an orga ...

and

practice Practice or practise may refer to: Education and learning * Practice (learning method), a method of learning by repetition * Phantom practice, phenomenon in which a person's abilities continue to improve, even without practicing * Practice-based ...

s. Through the African Leadership Centre (ALC), knowledge sharing and transfer especially through mentoring activities have been one of the ways that Olonisakin employed with the inclusion of several renowned mentors in the faculty to engage with the fellows of the ALC. Olonisakin recently stepped down as the Director of the ALC, while continuing to support the Centre in various capacities."Adjunct Faculty"
African Leadership Centre. Retrieved 23 June 2016. Aside from teaching, Olonisakin contributes to African peace and conflict debates, on which she has to her credit a wide ranges of

publications To publish is to make Content (media), content available to the general public.Berne Conv ...

. She is a founding member of the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and served as its West African Regional Coordinator from 2008 until 2012. She served on the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Fragile States from 2008 to 2010 examining and evaluating how transformative leadership can have such lasting impact on governance and post-conflict reconstruction. Olonisakin was once a staff of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, through the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, where she managed the African unit. During her professional engagement in this role, "she facilitated the establishment of the National Commission for War Affected Children in Sierra Leone and the Child Protection Unit in the

Economic Community of West African States The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of twelve countries of West Africa. Collectively, the present and former members comprise an area ...

(ECOWAS)." She has served many other roles with the

African Union The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The b ...

and

ECOWAS The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of twelve countries of West Africa. Collectively, the present and former members comprise an area ...

especially in the women's in peace-building, governance, children in conflicts thematic areas. She was also the Director of the Conflict, Security and Development Group at King's College London from 2003 till 2013. Waxing stronger in her chosen field to make indelible marks and prints in the world, Olonisakin is currently contributing her knowledge to the African Peace and Security Architecture as a member of the advisory group of experts for the Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture. She is on the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) as International Advisory Board's member; the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) board; the Tana High Level Forum on Security in Africa and on the Boards of Trustees of International Alert and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. Olonisakin is the first black woman to reach the professorship cadre at King's College, London, and has been named in the ''

Powerlist The Powerlist is a list of the 100 most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom. The list is updated annually and has been published in book format by Powerful Media since 2007. The Powerlist is not lim ...

'' of Britains most influential people of African origin, including in the Top 10 of the

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

ranking, and inclusion in the following

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

and

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

editions.

Ideology

Olonisakin upholds a progressive, diverse and transformative approach to life. She thrives on evidence-based research and strongly promotes

transformational leadership Transformational leadership is a leadership style in which a leader's behaviors influence their followers, inspiring them to perform beyond their perceived capabilities. This style of leadership encourages individuals to achieve unexpected or rem ...

."JSO Interview, Funmi Olonisakin, 21st June Part 1"
(YouTube video), Radio African Group, 24 June 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2015.

Selected publications

Books

* ''Militancy and Violence in West Africa: Religion, Politics and Radicalization'', ed.James Gow, Funmi Olonisakin & Ernst Dijxhoorn. London: Routledge, 2013. * ''Women and Security Governance in Africa'', ed. Funmi Olonisakin &

Awino Okech Awino Okech is a Kenyan academic, based at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), where her "teaching and research interests lies in the nexus between gender, sexuality and nation/state making projects as they o ...

. Oxford: Pambazuka Press, 2011. * ''Women, Peace and Security: Translating Policy into Practice'', ed. Funmi Olonisakin, Karen Barnes & Eka Ikpe. London: Routledge,2011. * ''Security Sector Transformation in Africa'', ed. Alan Bryden & Funmi Olonisakin. Munster: Lit Verlag, 2010. * ''The Challenges of Security Sector Governance in West Africa'', ed. Alan Bryden, Boubacar Ndiaye & Funmi Olonisakin. Munster: Lit Verlag, 2008. * ''Peacekeeping in Sierra Leone: The Story of UNAMSIL''. Boulder and London: Lynne Reinner, 2008. * ''Global Development and Human Security'', ed. Robert Picciotto, Funmi Olonisakin & Michael ClarkeNew Brunswick and London: Transaction Publishers, 2007. * ''A Handbook of Security Sector Governance in Africa'', ed. Nicole Ball & Kayode Fayemi. London: Centre for Democracy and Development, 2004. * ''Reinventing Peacekeeping in Africa: Conceptual and Legal Issues in the ECOMOG Operations''. The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2000. * ''Engaging Sierra Leone''. London: Centre for Democracy and Development, 2000. * ''Peacekeepers, Politicians and Warlords'', by Abiodun Alao, Funmi Olonisakin & John Mackinlay Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 1999.

References

External links

African Leadership Centre

King's College London

African Security Sector Network
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olonisakin, Funmi Academics of King's College London Nigerian officials of the United Nations African Union Living people Nigerian expatriates in the United Kingdom Obafemi Awolowo University alumni Nigerian feminists Nigerian women academics Yoruba women academics Yoruba academics Alumni of King's College London Nigerian scholars 1965 births Fellows of King's College London