Adewale Onagbesan

Adewale Onagbesan is a historian at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, a Fellow of the Ife Institute of Advanced Studies, and a published author and researcher whose works have appeared in respected academic outlets, including Kennesaw State University.

Adewale has presented several research papers at local and international conferences, exploring themes in women’s history, health, and medical history in Nigeria and Africa. His work on gender inclusion in Africa, framed through the lens of Nuclear Physics, offers a refreshing perspective on Nigerian political history. His studies on topics such as the bubonic plague in colonial Ijebu, venereal disease in colonial Nigeria, the chemists’ protest of 1949 in colonial Nigeria, and Kukuruku disease in colonial Benin Province mark him as a distinctive voice in African medical historiography.

Beyond academia, Adewale has consulted for reputable organizations and initiatives, including WAK Foundation, EIDU Education Limited, and the UNILAG IGNITE Career Initiative. He has delivered keynotes on personal development, governance, leadership, and entrepreneurship across diverse platforms. His passion for social impact inspired the founding of The MATUMAINI Initiative, a nonprofit empowering underprivileged people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Deeply committed to good governance and women’s inclusion in politics, Adewale’s public engagement traces back to his formative years in student leadership at the University of Lagos, where he served as the Speaker of the Students’ Union Parliament.

Recent publications:

Onagbesan, A. (2022). Nation-Building and Africa’s Development: A Historical and Philosophical Analysis. Young African Leaders Journal of Development 4.

Onagbesan, A. (2021). Review of Cheryl Johnson-Odim and Nina E. Mba’s, For Women and the Nation: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti of Nigeria, Lagos Historical Review 21.