Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies

About Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies

The Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies was established through the approval of the Senate at its 193rd meeting of 20th June, 2008. The Centre, domiciled in the Faculty of Arts for the purpose of certification was established to contribute to the Postgraduate training of the much-needed manpower in the areas of Peace, Development, Security and Strategy. It has since been working assiduously to fulfil its mandate. The Centre operates from its permanent building along the Dam Site. It has as tenants, the Centre for International Education (CIE) and Unilorin Archives and Documentation Centre.

The Centre is indebted to Professor Is-haq O. Oloyede (OFR) during whose tenure as Vice-Chancellor the programme took off. His commitment to an intellectually led approach to the pursuit of Peace in a troubled country and world led to the smooth take-off of the programme and its first public convention of a stakeholders’ forum to pledge to a non-adversarial pursuit of peace and reconciliation from warring communities in Kwara State in 2012, among other laudable peace initiatives. Also, worthy of note is the unflinching support of Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, the current Vice-Chancellor, who has consistently provided invaluable support to the Centre

Vision and Mission
The specific objectives of the Centre are to:
1. Make the University of Ilorin a global Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security Studies, in Peace research and Documentation.
2. Train manpower in the field of Peace, Conflict, Security and Strategic Studies;
3. Provide students with theoretical and practical skills in peace-making, peacebuilding, preventive diplomacy, strategic planning and management; and
4. Contribute to security, strategy and environmental sector management.

Our Objectives
Research
To make the University of Ilorin a global centre of excellence for peace and development research and documentation.
Training
To train world class manpower in the fields of peace, development and strategic studies.
Peace Building
To provide practical skills training in peace-making, peace-building, preventive diplomacy and strategic planning to students and field practitioners.

About Us
At inception, the Centre commenced with the M. A. and Doctor of Philosophy in Peace and Development Studies. Currently the Centre runs three (3) Academic Programmes at the Master level, viz:
a. M. A. Peace and Development Studies which is offered for regular students;
b. MPhil./PhD in Peace and Development Studies;
c. PhD in Peace and Development Studies
d. M. A. Peace and Security Studies (under a MoU with the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja and organised solely for Fellows of the Institute (Fsi) who meet the admission requirements for the Postgraduate studies of the University of Ilorin. It is a 9 month Programme whereby the first six months is done at the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja. The transcripts from Abuja is transferred to the University of Ilorin where the next three months is undertaken, the end of which the M. A. Peace and Security Studies of the University of Ilorin is awarded, following due process.
e. M. A. Peace and Strategic Studies is under a MoU with the Nigerian Army (Nigerian Army School of Education, NASE). Candidates for the programme are senior army officers who have completed the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) in NASE and who meet the admission requirements for the Postgraduate studies of the University of Ilorin. Admitted candidates spend a semester at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin.
To further boost and enrich its academic programmes, the Centre is involved as part of the student’s curricula, in the following:
a. Annual Peace and Conflict Field Experience and Training (PCFEAT). This was formerly known as Conflict Field Experience and Training (CFEAT);
b. A Biennial International Conference;
c. International Peace day celebrated on 21st September annually; and
d. Conflict Management Capacity Building Retreat (CMCB) formerly known as ADR Retreat
e. Annual Roundtable on Peace, Security and National Development
f. Annual CPSS Alumni lecture

Brief of Past and Present Directors
The Centre, since its inception has had six (6) Directors. These are:

  1. Professor Isaac Olawale Albert from the University of Ibadan (Nov/2008-Oct/2009),
  2. Professor Felicia Olabisi A. Olasehinde-Williams from the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin (Nov/2009-Nov/2012),
  3. Dr. Joseph Odekunle Fayeye (Reader) from Department of Sociology and later from the Department of Social Work, University of Ilorin (Dec/2012-Nov/2013),
  4. Dr. Mahfouz Adebola Adedimeji (Reader) from the Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin (Dec/2013-Oct/2017),
  5. Prof. Noah Yusuf from the Department of Sociology, University of Ilorin (Nov/2017-June/2020), and,
  6. Prof. Oyeronke Olademo from the Department of Religions, University of Ilorin (Jul/2020 till date).