Ayodeji Oladimeji Olukoju
Yoruba Name: Ayọ̀ọ́dèjì Ọládiméjì Olúkòjú
Born: June 9, 1959 — Oka Akoko, Nigeria
Profession: Nigerian University Distinguished Professor of History, University of Lagos
Notable Role: Two-term Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota (2010–2016)
Research Interests: Maritime, transport, economic, social, corporate, and urban history of Nigeria
Education and Career
- Bachelor’s Degree: First Class Honours in History, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1980)
- Master’s Degree: History, University of Ibadan (1982)
- Doctorate: History, University of Ibadan (1991)
Academic Career Path:
- 1984–1987: Lecturer, Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University)
- 1987–present: Joined University of Lagos, Department of History and Strategic Studies
- 1998: Appointed Professor of History
- 2018: Appointed University Distinguished Professor
- Leadership Roles:
- Head, Department of History (2001–2004)
- Dean, Faculty of Arts (2005–2009)
- DAAD Guest Professor of Economic History, University of Bayreuth, Germany (May–Aug 2022)
Visiting Fellowships and Research Positions:
- Japan Foundation
- British Academy
- DAAD
- Institute of Developing Economies
- Henry Charles Chapman Foundation
- A. G. Leventis Foundation
- West African Research Association (WARA), Emory University
Awards and Recognitions: - University of Lagos Best Researcher (Arts/Humanities) — 2006, 2009
Editorial Roles:
- Current: Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Global History
- Past: Advisory boards of Journal of African History, African Economic History, Afrika Zamani, and History in Africa
- First African elected to Executive Committee, International Maritime History Association (2008)
Honors:
- Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Letters (2011)
- Pro-Chancellor & Chairman, Governing Council, Chrisland University
Publications
Monographs
- The Fourteenth Commissar of Works: The Life and Labour of Rauf Aregbesola (2007)
- Culture and Customs of Liberia (2006)
- The "Liverpool" of West Africa: The Dynamics and Impact of Maritime Trade in Lagos, 1900–1950 (2004)
- Infrastructure Development and Urban Facilities in Lagos, 1861–2000 (2003)
- Maritime Trade, Port Development, and Administration: The Japanese Experience and Lessons for Nigeria (1996)
Edited Volumes
- Nigerian Peoples and Cultures (1997)
- Fundamentals of Economic History (2003)
- Northeast Yorubaland: Studies in the History and Culture of a Frontier Zone (2003)
- Global Understanding in the Age of Terrorism (2008)
- Security Challenges and Management in Modern Nigeria (2018)
- African Seaports and Maritime Economics in Historical Perspective (2020, co-edited with Daniel Castillo Hidalgo)
Academic Journal Contributions
Published in leading journals such as:
- African Affairs
- African Studies Review
- African Economic History
- The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
- Journal of Global History
- Journal of Transport History
- International Journal of Maritime History
- The Journal of African History
Other Writings
- Opinion essays on socio-political issues, education, and the Nigerian university system
Festschrift
- 2013: The Third Wave of Historical Scholarship on Nigeria: Essays in Honor of Ayodeji Olukoju — Edited by Saheed Aderinto and Paul Osifodunrin