ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Centre for Pan-African and Peace Studies (CePAPS) at the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, is set to inaugurate eight distinguished professionals as Senior Fellows in a move aimed at strengthening Pan-African scholarship, policy engagement and sustainable development across the continent.
The induction ceremony, scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, at the AfDB Hall of AUST, Abuja, will bring together accomplished personalities from diplomacy, academia, governance, science, technology, research and innovation to establish a multidisciplinary network dedicated to addressing Africa’s development challenges.
The initiative is designed to leverage the professional experience, intellectual resources and institutional connections of the fellows to strengthen research, promote evidence-based policymaking and advance the ideals of Pan-Africanism.
The inaugural cohort comprises His Excellency Ambassador Jean Robert Pillard, Haiti’s Ambassador to South Africa; Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), leadership architect, management turnaround expert and Executive Vice Chairman of Penhall Consult; and Professor Abdulhakeem Bello, Vice-President (Academics) at AUST.
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Others are Dr. Eunice Ngozi Akpala-Okoroafor, Acting Director of Research and Innovation at AUST; Dr. Jerry Uchenna Nwohu, Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Dr. Vitalis Chioh Anye, Head of Materials Science and Engineering at AUST; Dr. Maryam Ma’aruf Yakubu, Director of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO); and Ambassador Gregory Uwemedimo Okon, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea.
Their diverse professional backgrounds are expected to provide the Centre with a broad pool of expertise for examining Africa’s political, economic, scientific and social development priorities.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, the Centre Leader of CePAPS, Dr. Bosco Okolo-obi, said the induction was conceived as more than a ceremonial event, describing it as the foundation of a sustained platform for intellectual exchange, research collaboration and policy engagement between the Centre and its fellows.
According to him, the initiative represents a strategic effort to mobilise the knowledge, experience and professional networks of accomplished Africans in support of solutions to the continent’s development challenges.
He explained that the Senior Fellows Network would provide opportunities for closer engagement between scholars, policymakers and professionals, enabling the Centre to draw on practical experience alongside academic research in developing responses to Africa’s changing needs.
The network is expected to play a central role in supporting research on African development and Pan-African issues, facilitating policy dialogues and strengthening collaboration among universities, government institutions, industry and civil society organisations.
A key objective is to ensure that research findings are translated into practical policy recommendations and development-oriented interventions capable of informing decision-making and supporting sustainable progress.
The fellows are also expected to contribute to mentoring emerging scholars and young African leaders, helping to build the next generation of intellectuals, researchers and policymakers committed to the continent’s advancement.
Through mentorship, professional engagement and knowledge-sharing initiatives, the Centre hopes to strengthen the capacity of young Africans to address complex development issues while promoting leadership, innovation and constructive engagement across different sectors.
Another priority of the initiative is the development of strategic partnerships across Africa and the diaspora. By drawing on the fellows’ professional networks and institutional affiliations, CePAPS intends to expand opportunities for collaborative research, policy exchanges and partnerships that can support its programmes.
The network is also expected to assist in mobilising resources for the Centre’s activities, broadening the support base for research, dialogue and other initiatives designed to advance African unity, peace and sustainable development.
The establishment of the Senior Fellows Network reflects the Centre’s broader ambition to bridge the divide between academic scholarship, professional expertise and development practice.
In many African countries, research findings and policy recommendations face challenges in translating into practical outcomes. By bringing together individuals with experience in public administration, diplomacy, academia, research and political affairs, the initiative seeks to strengthen the relationship between knowledge production and the implementation of development policies.
This approach is expected to encourage research that responds to real-world challenges and supports informed decisions by governments, institutions and other stakeholders involved in Africa’s development.
In a statement issued by the Director of the Centre for Pan-African and Peace Studies, Professor Chudi Uwazurike, CePAPS reaffirmed its commitment to advancing scholarship, constructive dialogue and practical interventions that promote African unity, peace, innovation and sustainable development.
Uwazurike said the forthcoming induction was expected to mark a significant milestone in the Centre’s efforts to deepen intellectual engagement, strengthen policy-oriented research and build partnerships that contribute to Africa’s collective progress.
The Centre’s emphasis on Pan-Africanism places the initiative within a broader effort to encourage African-led approaches to the continent’s challenges, strengthen cooperation among institutions and promote the exchange of ideas and expertise across national boundaries.
By combining the perspectives of senior professionals from different disciplines and areas of public life, the initiative is expected to create opportunities for more integrated approaches to questions of governance, scientific advancement, institutional development and peacebuilding.
The inauguration of the eight Senior Fellows will therefore formally establish a network through which CePAPS can draw on professional experience and research expertise to support its academic and policy objectives.
As the Centre expands its engagement with stakeholders in government, industry, academia and civil society, the Senior Fellows Network is expected to serve as an important platform for generating ideas, fostering partnerships and developing practical responses to Africa’s development priorities.
The induction ceremony on October 26 will mark the beginning of this collaboration, with the Centre seeking to position scholarship, policy engagement and professional cooperation as complementary instruments for advancing Pan-African development.
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