Professor Bolaji Akinyemi is a Nigerian diplomat, political scientist, and academic whose career has significantly shaped the country’s foreign policy and contributed to the study of international relations.
Known for integrating rigorous scholarship with public service, Akinyemi remains a prominent voice in debates on Nigeria’s role in global affairs.
Early Life and Education
Born on 4 January 1942 in Ilesa, Osun State, Akinyemi received his early education at Ilesa Grammar School and Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Ibadan before pursuing postgraduate studies abroad. He obtained his master’s degree from King’s College London and completed his doctorate in international relations at the University of Oxford.
(The Guardian Nigeria, 5 Jan. 2022; The Nation Nigeria, 20 Aug. 2014)
Academic and Policy Foundations
Before entering government, Akinyemi taught political science at the University of Lagos and later became the director-general of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) from 1975 to 1983. At NIIA he helped develop Nigeria’s intellectual and policy capacity in foreign affairs, producing research that linked academic theory with practical diplomacy.
(Punch Nigeria, 7 Feb. 2014)
Minister of External Affairs (1985–1987)
Akinyemi served as Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs from 1985 to 1987 during the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida. His tenure was marked by active promotion of Nigeria’s leadership within Africa and the Non-Aligned Movement. He strengthened ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and emphasized South–South cooperation as a strategic foreign policy priority.
(The Nation, 20 Aug. 2014)
The Technical Aid Corps Initiative
Among his most enduring contributions was the creation of the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme in 1987. The program deploys Nigerian professionals—such as doctors, engineers, and teachers—to other developing countries, fostering solidarity and development cooperation across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. The TAC scheme remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s soft power and South–South diplomatic engagement.
(Vanguard Nigeria, 28 Sept. 2017)
Later National Leadership
In 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Akinyemi as Deputy Chairman of the National Conference. He played a key role in discussions about constitutional reforms, governance structures, and federalism, drawing on decades of academic and diplomatic experience.
(Premium Times, 5 March 2014)
Scholarly Works
Akinyemi has authored influential books and articles, including Foreign Policy and Federalism: The Nigerian Experience (London, 1974) and Nigeria and the World: Readings in Nigerian Foreign Policy (1979). These works examine the interplay between Nigeria’s federal structure and its foreign policy ambitions and remain core texts in the study of African international relations.
(University of Lagos Press catalogue; Oxford University repository)
Legacy and Continuing Influence
Through his scholarship and public service, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has demonstrated the value of linking academic insight to statecraft. His creation of the Technical Aid Corps and his contributions to Nigeria’s international positioning continue to influence policymakers and scholars studying the country’s evolving role in global diplomacy.
FOLLOW US ON:
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST
TIKTOK
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
TUMBLR
INSTAGRAM
