# OAU International Relations department marks five decades of shaping diplomacy

> Four days of academic engagements will mark the department’s golden jubilee
> URL: https://westng.com/oau-international-relations-department-50th-anniversary/
> Last modified: 2026-11-01T18:08:16+00:00

The Department of International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a four-day programme featuring academic discussions, an inter-university debate, an expert panel session and an anniversary lecture.

Scheduled for November 10 to 13, 2026, the golden jubilee will commemorate the department’s establishment as an independent academic department in March 1976, making it the first Department of International Relations in sub-Saharan Africa.

Its history dates back to 1963, when International Relations research and training began as a postgraduate unit at the university’s former Institute of Administration.

The introduction of a bachelor’s degree programme followed the expansion of Nigeria’s diplomatic missions and the growing need for professionally trained personnel to serve in them.

A defining figure in that history was Professor Olajide Aluko, who led the department during its formative years and became the first professor of International Relations in sub-Saharan Africa in 1977.

His scholarship and institutional leadership helped establish what later became known as the “Ife school” of International Relations, with scholars associated with the department making significant contributions to the study of Nigerian foreign policy and African international affairs.

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Over the years, the department has produced graduates at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, many of whom have pursued careers across different professional fields.

Activities marking the anniversary will begin on Tuesday, November 10, with a health walk and press briefing.

On Wednesday, November 11, a panel discussion themed **“Five Decades of Impacts, Knowledge and Practice”** will hold at BOOC, OAU, at 10am.

An inter-university debate involving six universities, including OAU, will follow at 1pm at the same venue.

Thursday, November 12, will feature a high-level expert panel session at BOOC by 10am, followed by a novelty football match at the university’s Mainbowl at 3:30pm.

The grand finale on Friday, November 13, will feature an anniversary lecture titled **“Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World: Navigating African Agency, Security and Regional Integration.”**

Professor Eghosa Osaghae, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), will deliver the lecture.

The programme will also feature the presentation of recognitions and awards.

The anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the department’s pioneering contribution to the development of International Relations education in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa since its establishment in 1976.