Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Dr Olayinka Ajala
Senior Lecturer
Olayinka Ajala is a senior lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Leeds Beckett University and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He previously worked for the Universities of York and Newcastle.
Olayinka holds a doctorate degree in Politics from the University of York and a Masters degree in Globalisation and Development from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.
In working with communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Olayinka has analysed how insurgencies are formed and how addressing human security issues could reduce violent conflicts. More recently, he has investigated counter-insurgency mechanisms such as drone warfare and the importance of interorganisational cooperation.
Olayinka consults for the Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom. He was previously a visiting fellow/lecturer at the Combating Terrorism Centre, United States Military Academy, West Point where he taught final year cadets. He has consulted for local and international organisations including the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), the Government of Belgium and was a lead panel analyst on ‘Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Africa’, a round table discussion at the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He is also a regular analyst for media organisations such as the BBC and Aljazeera.
Olayinka is currently working on a GCRF funded project titled ‘Catalyzing participation through innovation to strengthen rural-urban climate resilient futures in Namibia’. He is also a principal investigator on a CeASR funded project titled ‘Sustainable agriculture in Nigeria: Understanding the link between conflict (and terrorism) and climate change in farmers’ displacement and livelihood transformation’.
Olayinka teaches undergraduate and postgraduate modules at LBU and is interested in accepting PhD students in the areas of peace and security, terrorism and counter-terrorism, formation of insurgent groups, climate change and sustainable development especially in West Africa and the Sahel.
Current Teaching
- Rethinking diplomacy
- International human rights
- Theorising human rights
- International peacekeeping
Research Interests
Olayinka’s research interests include rural development, resource conflict, human security, peace and security, terrorism and counter-terrorism, formation of insurgent groups, internal displacement, climate change and sustainable development.
Ask Me About
- Ethnicity
- Governance
- Politics
- Security
- Sustainability
- Terrorism
Selected Outputs
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Ajala O (2022) Russia’s war with Ukraine: Five reasons why many African countries choose to be ‘neutral’ [Online]
Available from: https://theconversation.com/russias-war-with-ukraine-five-reasons-why-many-african-countries-choose-to-be-neutral-180135
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Ajala O (2020) COVID-19 Pandemic: A Wake-Up Call for African Leaders [Online] Australian Outlook.
Available from: http://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/covid-19-pandemic-a-wake-up-call-for-african-leaders/
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Ajala O (2020) Nigeria: why having fewer political parties isn’t enough [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/nigeria-why-having-fewer-political-parties-isnt-enough-132223
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Ajala O (2019) Buhari’s visit to South Africa eased tensions. But more needs to be done [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/buharis-visit-to-south-africa-eased-tensions-but-more-needs-to-be-done-124904
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Ajala O (2019) The four key factors that determined the outcome of the Nigeria poll [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/the-four-key-factors-that-determined-the-outcome-of-the-nigeria-poll-113045
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Ajala O (2019) Nigerian Elections 2019: Entrenching Democracy? [Online] Australian Outlook.
Available from: http://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australian-outlook/?search=ajala
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Ajala O (2019) Why Nigeria’s election was an improvement on previous polls [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/why-nigerias-election-was-an-improvement-on-previous-polls-112421
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Ajala O (2019) Nigeria’s election delay: why, and what next? [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/nigerias-election-delay-why-and-what-next-111962
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Ajala O (2019) What to expect as 84 million Nigerians go to the polls [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/what-to-expect-as-84-million-nigerians-go-to-the-polls-111457
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Ajala O (2019) Buhari hasn’t solved Nigeria’s security threats. Will voters punish him? [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/buhari-hasnt-solved-nigerias-security-threats-will-voters-punish-him-110038
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Ajala O (2018) Nigeria’s 2019 election: a two-horse race with uninspiring candidates [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/profiles/olayinka-ajala-463472/articles
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Ajala O (2018) Nigeria is not ready to hold free and fair elections next year. Here’s why [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/profiles/olayinka-ajala-463472/articles
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Ajala O (2018) Why clashes are on the rise between farmers and herdsmen in the Sahel [Online] The Conversation.
Available from: https://theconversation.com/profiles/olayinka-ajala-463472/articles
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Ajala O (In press) Interorganizational Cooperation and the Fight against Terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel. Information & Security: An International Journal, 48 pp. 97-114.
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Ajala O (2023) The Case for Neutrality: Understanding African Stanceson the Russia-Ukraine Conflict. International Organisations Research Journal, 18 (2), pp. 7-30.
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Thorn JPR; Nangolo P; Biancardi RA; Shackleton S; Marchant RA; Ajala O; Delgado G; Mfune JKE; Cinderby S; Hejnowicz AP (2023) Exploring the benefits and dis-benefits of climate migration as an adaptive strategy along the rural-peri-urban continuum in Namibia. Regional Environmental Change, 23 pp. 1-20.
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Ajala O (2022) Evolution and decline: transformation of social movements in Nigeria. Review of African Political Economy, 49 (172), pp. 246-263.
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Ajala O; Laniran T (2021) Military Expenditure and Economic Growth: Evidence from Nigeria. American Journal of Economics
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Ajala O (2020) New drivers of conflict in Nigeria: an analysis of the clashes between farmers and pastoralists. Third World Quarterly, pp. 1-19.
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Ajala O (2018) Brexit and the Fight against Terrorism in the United Kingdom. E-International Relations, pp. 1-4.
https://www.e-ir.info/2018/05/31/brexit-and-the-fight-against-terrorism-in-the-united-kingdom/
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Ajala O (2018) US drone base in Agadez : A security threat to Niger?. RUSI Journal, 163 (5), pp. 20-27.
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Ajala O (2018) Formation of Insurgent Groups: MEND and Boko Haram in Nigeria. Small Wars and Insurgencies, 29 (1), pp. 112-130.
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Ajala O (2016) Human security in the Niger Delta: exploring the interplay of resource governance, community structure and conflicts. Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (The), 7 (2), pp. 81-81.
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Ajala O (2015) Evolution of Agricultural Policies and Laws in Nigeria. In: Rhuks A; Damilola O ed. Food and Agricultural Law: Readings on Sustainable Agriculture and Law in Nigeria. Nigeria: Afe Babalola University,