CEMGS Management Team
Prof. Iroye Samuel Opeyemi
Team Lead, CEMGS Management Team
Samuel Opeyemi Iroye is an erudite scholar, a passionate teacher, a Peace Advocate, a Legal Practitioner, a Lecturer and a Priest. He is a Professor of Strategic Studies and Conflict Resolution. He is a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) and the Institute for Crisis Resolution, Peacebuilding and Conciliation (ICRPC). Samuel O. Iroye obtained a PhD in ‘’Strategic Studies and a Master’s Degree in Law’’ from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State.
He also obtained his LL.B Degree in Law from the University of Ilorin in Kwara State and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar, where he was awarded his B.L. Certificate, qualifying him to practice as a legal Practitioner in Nigeria. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Distance Education from the National Open University of Nigeria. He also had a theological training at The African Church College of Theology, Lagos, where he also bagged a Diploma in Theology.
He was the first Head of Department of Commercial Law, National Open University of Nigeria, and the founding and first Head of the Department of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution of the National Open University of Nigeria. He also served as a Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Jabi, Abuja. He is presently the Director of the Noun Centre of Excellence in Migration and Global Studies. He has over sixty-two (62) Published Academic Articles and Books to his credit. He has a passion for teaching, youth training, development and empowerment.
Dr. Joyce A.M. Ejukonemu
Member, CEMGS Management Team
An accomplished academic and expert in political science, gender studies, and migration. Born on January 9, 1970, in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, into an Okpe extraction family in Delta State, Nigeria, Dr. Ejukonemu excelled in her early education, receiving awards and a full scholarship at Commonwealth College of Commerce, Jos, before earning a B.Ed. in Curriculum Studies and Instructional Technology/Political Science from the University of Port Harcourt in 1992.
She later completed an M.Sc. in Political Science at Bayero University, Kano (2006), and a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Development Studies at the University of Abuja (2015). Her academic career began at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano, where she rose to the rank of Chief Lecturer and Dean of Arts and Social Sciences. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the National Open University of Nigeria. Centre of Excellence in Migration and Global Studies. Dr Ejukonemu has published extensively, with over 30 articles, 8 book chapters, and multiple authored and co-authored books. She has presented at major conferences worldwide and is recognised for her work on gender issues, education, and political participation.
Notable book publications include Citizenship in Nigeria, Gender Politics and Development: Widowhood Rights among the Urhobo and Gbagyi People of Nigeria, and Introspect: Nigerian People and Culture. An alumnus of prestigious programs such as the American Political Science Association Africa Workshop and the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research, she continues to contribute significantly to academia. Dr. Ejukonemu is married and has children.
Mrs. Blessing O. Alabi
Member, CEMGS Management Team
An accomplished academic administrator and migration studies professional, with over 16years administrative experience and currently serving as Head of Administration at the Centre of Excellence in Migration & Global Studies (CEMGS). In this role, she oversees the Centre’s administrative operations, coordinates programmes and official engagements, manages documentation and institutional processes, and provides strategic administrative support for research, training, and stakeholder activities.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Archaeology, a background that significantly enriches her work in migration studies. Her training in archaeology provides her with a deep understanding of human mobility, cultural interactions, settlement patterns, and historical migration trends—perspectives that complement contemporary migration governance and policy discourse. This interdisciplinary foundation strengthens her capacity to support research and institutional initiatives within the Centre.
Mrs Alabi is presently pursuing a specialised training in Circular and Return Migration Management at the University for Continuing Education, Krems, Austria, further enhancing her expertise in migration governance and sustainable mobility frameworks.
Throughout her career, she has participated in several professional trainings and workshops, deepening her competencies in migration management, institutional leadership, and academic administration.
She remains committed to advancing migration scholarship, strengthening administrative excellence, and contributing meaningfully to policy dialogue and academic development both locally and internationally.
Dr. Nduka David Utah
Member, CEMGS Management Team
A Senior Research Fellow and member of the management team at the Centre of Excellence in Migration and Global Studies (CEMGS), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja. He contributes to the Centre’s strategic development, research coordination, and academic programming in migration studies. His work focuses on migration, language, gender, and transnationalism, particularly within West Africa and Nigeria. He led collaborative research projects, mentor emerging scholars, support grant development, and produce policy-relevant outputs. He also contributes to curriculum design and programme evaluation in line with NOUN’s open and distance learning model, strengthening the Centre’s research impact, institutional visibility, and policy engagement.
