What main research questions/issues are you currently working on?

I am currently working on women’s political representation in houses of assembly of selected states in the southwest of Nigeria since the return of the country to democratic governance in 1999. The study aims to understand women’s legislative policymaking activities at a sub-national level. It tries to explore the factors that influence women’s selection to house committees as well as their contributions to legislations with specific reference to women’s issues.  

Where does this interest in your research come from?

While I have always been interested in issues of structural violence, working with some scholars, notably Dr Sara Panata and Dr Molatokunbo S. Olutayo at the Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ibadan, on the question of women’s political representation and mobilization spurred my interest to employ a gender lens in understanding of political representation and legislative policymaking.

What are your motivations for choosing LAM?

The centre hosts a multidisciplinary team of researchers and research students working on politics in Africa, and Nigeria in particular, some of whom I have met through the platform of IFRA-Nigeria at IAS, University of Ibadan, and an online research seminar titled “Reflection on Gender Studies in Nigeria” earlier in the year. This mobility will help strengthen my reflection through exchanges with some of these identified specialists. Additionally, it will give me the opportunity to access some essential academic resources available at Sciences Po Bordeaux library.