Conflict research network gets new director

The Conflict Research Network (CORN) West Africa has appointed Dr. Timipere Felix Allison as the new director, effective 1 September 2024.

A release signed by the director of public communications of the organisation, Professor Oludayo Tade, stated that Dr Allison takes over the leadership of the frontline peace and conflict research network in West Africa from Dr Tarila Marclint Ebiede, who has led the network meritoriously for four years.

The statement read, “Before his appointment, Dr. Allison served as the Head of Programmes at CORN West Africa. Prior to joining CORN West Africa, he was the Head of Programmes at the Centre for Democracy and Development West Africa (CDD West Africa) and a Senior Programme Manager at the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN). Dr. Allison holds a PhD in International Development from Nagoya University, Japan, and a Master of Science (MSc) in Political Science, specialising in Political Theory and Methods, from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.”

The management and membership of CORN lauded the outgoing Director, Dr Tarila Marclint Ebiede, for his exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the development of CORN West Africa over the past four years.

The statement also noted that under Dr. Tarila’s stewardship, CORN West Africa reached remarkable milestones, including organising two international conferences, research and collaboration opportunities for members of the network, numerous research workshops and webinars, completing impactful research projects, engaging with policymakers, and successfully collaborating with esteemed national and international partners.

The statement added: “His tenure also saw the production of impactful publications and a substantial increase in our influence as a reputable knowledge platform in the field of peace, conflict, and security research in West Africa. Dr. Ebiede’s visionary leadership has solidified CORN West Africa’s position as a leading voice in conflict research and policy analysis in the region.

“As he steps down from his role as director, we are pleased to announce that he will continue to contribute to our network as a member of the Advisory Board. In this capacity, Dr. Ebiede will join other members on the Advisory Board to provide strategic support, helping to ensure the continued growth and success of CORN West Africa.”

The director of public communication noted that Dr. Allison will build on this strong foundation by focussing on strengthening “our institutional governance, expanding and fortifying our membership base, operationalising CORN’s research agenda, pursuing new strategic partnerships, and launching the CORN Research Academy.”