Contact Information
Room 435.
Research Areas
Research Interests
- The Historical Development of Islam in Nigeria and its cultural manifestation.
- Embodied Islamic Literacy
- The Roles of Women in Islamic Societies.
- Intersections of gender, politics, and religious identity in African History.
Research Description
My research explores the intersection of religion, gender, and socio-political structures in West Africa, focusing particularly on the historical development of Islam in Southwestern Nigeria. My dissertation, “Islam in Southwestern Nigeria: A Case Study of Iwo in Osun State,” examines how Islamic traditions, literacy practices, and community structures have evolved in this region. Through a combination of archival research, oral histories, and textual analysis, I investigate how religious identity and gender roles have shaped social and political life in precolonial and colonial Yoruba societies.
Education
Bachelors in History and International Studies, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Masters in Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
PhD in African History (In Progress), University of Illinois.
Awards and Honors
Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS), 2021, European Union Center, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.
Nominee for Excellent Teachers Award, 2024, Department of History, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.
Courses Taught
Hist 100: Global History
Hist 104: Black Music
Additional Campus Affiliations
General Member, Graduate Employee Organization 2023, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Member of the Grievance Committee, Graduate Employee Organization, 2023, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Co-convener of the HRI Social Movement Reading Group, 2023-2025, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Recent Publications
Alli, G. (2025). “History of Ethnicity and Race in African History: The Schools of Thought” Lagos Journal of Historical Studies. Available at: https://lajohis.org.ng/journal-articles/2025