𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐲-𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝

By Peter Dansu  A young academic from Badagry, Dr. Oluwaseun Sesẹde Williams, has earned national and international recognition after emergi...

By Peter Dansu 

A young academic from Badagry, Dr. Oluwaseun Sesẹde Williams, has earned national and international recognition after emerging as the winner of the 2026 Lagos Studies Association (LSA) Best Doctoral Thesis Award for his groundbreaking research on colonial Nigeria.

Dr. Williams, an Assistant Professor in One Health and Ad Astra Fellow at the University College Dublin, received the honour for his doctoral dissertation titled The Meat of the Story: Cattle Capitalism and Veterinary Public Health in Colonial Nigeria, which he completed at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland.

The award, presented during the 2026 LSA Awards Night, celebrates outstanding doctoral research on African studies defended anywhere in the world in 2025. The recognition adds to an already impressive list of accolades for the Badagry-born scholar, whose thesis had earlier received the highest academic distinction, summa cum laude with special commendation, from his doctoral committee.

Reacting to the award, Dr. Williams described the recognition as deeply personal and particularly meaningful because it came from a scholarly association that has played a significant role in his academic journey over the last decade.

He expressed gratitude to the Lagos Studies Association and its Awards Committee for finding him worthy of the honour, noting that being recognised in Lagos, the city where his roots, upbringing, education and professional journey began, made the achievement even more special.

The celebration of the award also featured a traditional Ogu musical performance by an Akohun troupe from Badagry, a gesture that Williams said brought immense pride and emotional significance as it showcased the rich cultural heritage of his hometown on a prestigious academic stage.

In his remarks, the scholar thanked renowned historian Professor Saheed Aderinto and several other mentors, colleagues, family members and friends whose support contributed to his academic success. He also paid special tribute to his doctoral supervisor, Associate Professor Aidan Russell, for submitting what he described as an exceptional nomination that highlighted the significance of the research.

According to the nomination, Williams’ thesis offers a pioneering examination of the relationship between cattle rearing, veterinary science, public health, nutrition and colonial capitalism in Nigeria. The work explores how British colonial authorities sought to transform livestock production and meat consumption, while also examining indigenous knowledge systems, disease control efforts and the broader social and economic implications of colonial agricultural policies.

Professor Russell described the dissertation as one of the most insightful and original pieces of research he has encountered in recent years, praising its rigorous archival research, innovative arguments and contribution to global debates in Nigerian, African, health and multispecies history.

The thesis draws on extensive research conducted across archives in Nigeria and Britain and has been widely commended for placing Nigeria at the centre of important international conversations on public health, agriculture, science and colonial history.

For many in Badagry, Williams’ achievement is a source of immense pride, reinforcing the town’s growing reputation as a hub of intellectual excellence and academic distinction. His success stands as an inspiration to young Nigerians aspiring to make meaningful contributions to scholarship and global knowledge.

With the latest recognition, Dr. Oluwaseun Sesẹde Williams continues to establish himself as one of the most promising Nigerian scholars on the international stage, carrying the name of Badagry and Lagos to greater heights in the global academic community.