Leadership and “Conversation” in Dialogue: Securing Peace in the Unromantic Context
Leadership and “Conversation” in Dialogue: Securing Peace in the Unromantic Context
Inaugural Lecture
Host, Mounira Chaieb:
“Welcome, listeners, to the ALC Pan African Radio’s Public Debate Programme, where we engage experts and audiences in critical conversations on peace, security, and leadership in Africa. Today, we bring you a special episode featuring the inaugural lecture of Professor Funmi Olonisakin, a trailblazing scholar, peacebuilder, and founding director of the African Leadership Centre. Delivered at King’s College London, her lecture, ‘Leadership and Conversation in Dialogue: Securing Peace in the Unromantic Context,’ challenges conventional approaches to peacebuilding and reimagines leadership in societies grappling with cycles of violence.
Professor Olonisakin, a Nigerian-British academic and Vice President of King’s College, has dedicated her career to understanding the interplay between leadership, conflict, and sustainable peace. Her work spans academia, policy, and grassroots activism, from co-founding the African Security Unit to shaping UN initiatives on children in armed conflict. In this lecture, she reflects on her journey—from a childhood in a remote Nigerian village to the halls of global institutions—while dissecting why 50% of UN peacebuilding efforts falter, trapped in cycles of relapse.
Key Themes:
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The ‘Unromantic’ Context: Olonisakin defines ‘unromantic’ societies as those marked by unpredictability, systemic insecurity, and unmet aspirations. These are spaces where daily survival is fraught, and peacebuilding cannot rely on idealized, Western-centric models. She contrasts this with ‘romantic’ contexts—stable, resource-rich societies—arguing that both exist on a spectrum, with pockets of overlap.
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Leadership as Process, Not Traits: Challenging the myth of the ‘charismatic leader,’ she emphasizes process-driven leadership —how influence flows between leaders and communities, and how mutuality and dialogue can anchor peace. Drawing on her UN experience in Sierra Leone, she critiques top-down interventions, highlighting the harm of patronizing power dynamics.
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The Peacebuilding Dilemma: Olonisakin argues that liberal peacebuilding’s focus on institutional ‘fixes’ often ignores local realities. Using Liberia and South Sudan as case studies, she illustrates how imported governance models collapse without organic buy-in. Her solution? Prioritize conversations —amplifying marginalized voices and fostering trust in fluid, post-conflict societies.
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Personal Reflections: The lecture intertwines academic rigor with raw humanity. Olonisakin recounts visceral moments: singing children in displacement camps, a mother’s harrowing tale of war, and her own failures in UN-led initiatives. These stories underscore her call for reflexivity—acknowledging privilege and power in peacebuilding.
Why It Matters:
This lecture isn’t just theory—it’s a roadmap. Olonisakin’s African Leadership Centre (ALC) embodies her vision, training over 300 fellows from 35 countries in leadership rooted in context, not dogma. Her work bridges academia and practice, demanding that peacebuilding centers dignity, equity, and local agency.
Closing Teaser:
Stay tuned as we dive deeper into the Q&A, where Olonisakin fields questions on institutionalising leadership in Africa, lessons from Botswana’s democratic transition, and her advice to her 25-year-old self. This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about reimagining peace in Africa’s complex realities.
Download the full transcript of the audio recording here
Leadership and “Conversation” in Dialogue: Securing Peace in the Unromantic Context
Episode Outline:
Continuity Announcer: Mounira Chaieb and Anonymous
Show: Discussion Programme
Time: 42:52
Date: 2020
Citation:
Nyawira, Ivy, Essa Njie and Ibrahim Machina (Guests). “ALC MSc Fellows Fellowship Journey during COVID-19.” Hosted by Desmond Davies. The ALC Pan-African Radio. December 2, 2020. Podcast, Mp3. 42:52. https://alcafricanradio.com/index.php/audio/discussion-programme-msc-fellows-journey
1. Introduction & Context of the Lecture (00:00 – 05:05)
- Opening remarks by the continuity announcer.
- Mounira Chaieb introduces the theme of peacebuilding and the limitations of liberal peace.
- Overview of Prof. Olonisakin’s lecture and its significance.
2. Opening Remarks by Prof. Ed Byrne (05:05 – 10:10)
- Prof. Byrne, Principal of King’s College London, introduces Prof. Olonisakin.
- Highlights her paradoxical traits (e.g., “generous but frugal”), Nigerian upbringing, academic journey, and career milestones (e.g., UN work, founding the African Leadership Centre).
3. Personal & Academic Journey: Shaping a Scholar (10:10 – 18:30)
- Prof. Olonisakin thanks attendees, including dignitaries from Nigeria, Kenya, and global institutions.
- Reflects on her historic role as the first Black African woman to deliver an inaugural lecture at King’s.
- Prof. Olonisakin’s early life in Nigeria and the UK.
- Education at the University of Ife and King’s College London.
- Challenges in academia and professional growth.
- Establishment of the African Leadership Centre (ALC).
4. Concept of the “Unromantic Context” (18:30 – 26:00)
- Explains “unromantic” societies: marked by unpredictability, systemic insecurity, and unmet aspirations.
- Contrasts with “romantic” contexts (stable, resource-rich societies) and critiques Western-centric peacebuilding models.
5. Personal Journey & Academic Roots (26:00 – 38:10)
- Shares her upbringing in a Nigerian village, student activism, and academic struggles.
- Discusses her PhD research on Liberia’s civil war and early career at King’s College.
- Reflections on Prof. Olonisakin’s time at the UN.
- Case studies from Sierra Leone and Liberia.
- The problem of power asymmetries in global governance.
- How leadership failures contribute to peacebuilding dilemmas.
6. Youth, Women, and the Missing Voices in Peacebuilding (38:10 – 47:50)
- The absence of youth and women in leadership spaces.
- Case studies of exclusion from decision-making processes.
- The role of non-state actors and grassroots movements in peacebuilding.
- Recounts her role in the UN’s Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
- Highlights failures, such as the abandoned rehabilitation centre in Sierra Leone, and critiques patronising power dynamics in aid work.
7. Rethinking Leadership in Conflict Zones: Leadership as Process, Not Traits (47:50 – 57:40)
- Misconceptions about leadership effectiveness in fragile states.
- The failure of institutional models in peacebuilding.
- Why personal relationships and trust matter more than formal structures.
- Argues against “leader-centric” models, emphasising process-driven leadership (mutuality, dialogue, and context).
- Introduces her framework for analysing leadership in fluid, conflict-affected societies.
8. Founding of the African Leadership Centre (57:40 – 1:07:30)
- The vision behind ALC as a space for intellectual and leadership development.
- Leadership training as a tool for transforming governance.
- The impact of ALC on African policy and leadership studies.
- Details the ALC’s mission: training over 300 fellows from 35 countries in context-driven leadership.
- Stresses the need for organic, grassroots-driven peacebuilding over imported institutional fixes.
9. Q&A Highlights (1:07:30 – 1:18:20)
- Institutionalizing leadership in Africa (response: invest in universities teaching societal leadership).
- Lessons from Botswana’s democratic transition.
- Advice to her 25-year-old self: “Be more reflexive.”
10. Closing Remarks & Vote of Thanks (1:18:20 – 1:28:32)
- Prof. Lawrence Friedman praises Prof. Olonisakin’s integrity, activism, and role as a global role model.
- Episode ends with credits and links to ALC resources.
Download the full transcript here
Episode timeline:
- 00:00 Introduction & Context of the Lecture
- 00:00 Opening Remarks by Prof. Ed Byrne
- 00:00 Personal & Academic Journey: Shaping a Scholar
- 00:00 Concept of the “Unromantic Context”
- 00:00 Personal Journey & Academic Roots
- 00:00 Youth, Women, and the Missing Voices in Peacebuilding
- 00:00 Rethinking Leadership in Conflict Zones: Leadership as Process, Not Traits
- 00:00 Founding of the African Leadership Centre
- 00:00 Q&A Highlights
- 00:00 Closing Remarks & Vote of Thanks
