APSA Appoints Ex-FUOYE VC Africa’s Research Development Coordinator

The American Political Science Association (APSA) has appointed the immediate past Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Kayode Soremekun to coordinate and drive its Research Development Group in Africa.

The appointment of Soremekun, who is a Professor of International Relations at Lagos State University (LASU), was contained in a letter by the Warren Weinstein Chair of African Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Prof. Peter Lewis.

According to the letter, Soremekun in his new assignment will serve the Research Development Group convened by the African Politics Conference Group aimed at developing and promoting Africa’s early and mid-career academics and researchers.

Professor Lewis, who is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an Editor of Journal of Democracy, said: “The role of the Research Development Group (with foundation funding and support from the American Political Science Association) is to foster academic engagement between scholars based in North America and Africa.

“Each year, the Research Development Group brings between six and eight Africa-based academics to APSA’s annual meeting (this year in Los Angeles, United States, August 31-September 3) to present work in progress and to have discussions with colleagues. The initiative helps to support scholarly work and to develop collaborative networks,” Lewis said in Soremekun’s appointment letter.

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The SAIS chair added that the committee for the Research Development Group, usually three persons, had the mandate to identify participants, coordinate the panels for the workshop just prior to the APSA meeting, and serve as discussants for some of the research papers that would be presented at APSA’s annual conference.

“I think that previous participants have found the obligations to be modest and the rewards significant. In addition to engaging with colleagues on a range of interesting work, participants are all supported for attendance at the APSA annual meeting.”

He was appointed less than two years into the administration of LASU by the institution’s VC, Prof. Ibironke Olatunji-Bello.

Before joining LASU recently, Soremekun was the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Oye Ekiti.

He lectured for over 20 years at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. At different times, he was Dean of the Faculty of Administration and Head Department of International Relations.