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Fatima Akilu

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Fatima Akilu
United States Institute of Peace 2023
NationalityNigerian
EducationBeechwood Sacred Heart School
Alma materMount St. Mary's University (Los Angeles)(BA)
University of Reading (MRes and PhD)
Occupation(s)Psychologist
Countering Violent Extremism Expert
Executive Director of the Neem Foundation
Author
Educator
Notable workCounselled John Hinckley Jr, Pioneered Nigeria's CVE Programme

Fatima Akilu is a Nigerian Muslim psychologist, author, former government official, education advocate and public speaker in the areas of preventing and countering violent extremism (CVE) and counter-terrorism. She is (2023) the executive director of the Neem Foundation and the former director of Behavioural Analysis and Strategic Communication at the office of the National Security Advisor in Nigeria, where she helped develop the country's first Countering Violent Extremism Programme. Akilu is a part of the Global Strategy Network team with industry expert Richard Barrett.[1][2][3][4]

Akilu writes educational children's books and is a partner of the Women's Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL).[5] She was the host of former radio show Radio Psych, which focused on social and psychological issues.[6]

Early life and education

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Akilu was born to Ali Akilu (late Secretary of the defunct Northern Region) and Hajia Astajam and she was educated at the Beechwood Sacred Heart School, Tunbridge Wells. She holds a Ph.D. and MRes in Psychology from the University of Reading and a B.A. in English and Psychology from Mount St. Mary's University (Los Angeles).[2][7][8]

Career

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Akilu is an NHS-trained forensic psychologist who specializes in the treatment of offenders with developmental and psychiatric disorders. She has 20 years of experience of mental health and psychology. As a youth worker in London, Akilu counselled homeless young people, and while working at a psychiatric hospital in Washington, she counselled John Hinckley Jr, the man who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan.[9][10]

Akilu is a university educator and an advocate for marginalized groups.[11] Working as an adjunct professor of general psychology at SUNY Broome Community College for over 12 years, she has taught and authored several research papers relating to homelessness, ethnicity and their relationship with mental health.[2][12]

Previously head of communication for the senior special assistant to the president of Millennium Development Goals, Akilu was chairman of the editorial board of a leading Nigerian newspaper.[11][13] She was former director of Behavioral Analysis and Strategic Communication at the Office of the National Security Advisor in Nigeria, where she developed and worked on the country's Countering Violent Extremism Programme between 2012 and 2015. The CVE programme is part of the government's long-term strategy to tackle Boko Haram, the terror group responsible for the abduction of thousands and the deaths of over 20,000 people across Nigeria.[1][4][14] Described as a sophisticated and research-based attempt to understand and address the causes and effects of the insurgency, Nigeria's CVE Programme is a multi-disciplinary intervention targeting ex-Boko Haram members, youth, and other vulnerable groups through social programmes that provide them with positive alternatives to violent extremism. The deradicalisation programme focuses on the nexus between development and security at the community level and aims to rehabilitate former extremists through workforce training, psychological counselling, faith-based interventions and food and health care.[5] Akilu has worked with liberated wives of Boko Haram commanders, who pose a unique challenge since they often experienced respected and privileged positions within the insurgency society and often long to return.[15]

In 2020, Akilu was appointed as the Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the African Leadership Centre, King's College London.[6]

United States Institute of Peace discussion in November 2023. Sarhang Hamasaeed, Akilu speaking, Binalakshmi Nepram, Cholpon Orozobekova, Margaretha Hanita

In 2021, Akilu was a guest speaker on Doha Debates' #DearWorldLive program and shared her solution to bridging polarisation in schools: always adapting education, continually evolving curricula, access and funding for more spaces for girls and more equality within the education system.[16]

Akilu is currently the executive director and head of the psychosocial services component of the Neem Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded as a direct response to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria.[2][10] In 2021, Akilu said NGOs can "advise the authorities on counter-terrorism while also providing evidence that can inform related policies."[17]

Writing

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Akilu has authored over 17 children's books as well as a series on the Millennium Development Goals for children to teach them about multiculturalism and worldwide development issues.[18] She also leads a campaign to encourage Nigerian children to read 100 books each year.[10][19]

Published work

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Awards and recognition

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  • Zahra and Coco Alphabet, 2012 Winner of Moonbeam Children's Book Award's Gold prize in the Alphabet/ Counting Book category.[20]
  • 'Preye and the Sea of Plastics' by Fatima Akilu and 'Mayowa and the Masquerade' by Lola Shoneyin: Joint Winners for the ANA/Atiku Abubakar Prize for Children's Literature.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b c d "Dr. Fatima Akilu | neem". Neemfoundation.org.ng. Retrieved 1 February 2017.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "WHO WE ARE". Theglobalstrategynetwork.org. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Peace Heroes: How Nigerian Psychologist Fatima Akilu Rehabilitates Extremist Societies". DCAF ISSAT. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b Green, Shannon N. "Voice of a Practitioner in Nigeria – Fatima Akilu". CSIS (Podcast). Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Dr Fatima Akilu". King's College London. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Nigeria: Akilu, Waziri-Ibrahim, Araceli Join Leadership". AllAfrica. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  8. ^ Akilu, Fatima (1994). A multimethod investigation into the experience of single homelessness (Ph.D. thesis). University of Reading.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Meet the former NHS psychologist trying to get inside the mind of Boko Haram". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  10. ^ a b c d Dominguez Mullonch, Montse (29 January 2021). "Talk about us. Dr. Fatima Akilu". Coachability Foundation. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Fatima Akilu – Concord Consulting". Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  12. ^ Wildsmith, E.; Akilu, F.; Sashidharan, S. P.; Cochrane, R.; Commander, M. J. (1 October 1999). "Mental health care for Asian, black and white patients with non-affective psychoses: pathways to the psychiatric hospital, in-patient and after-care". Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 34 (9): 484–491. doi:10.1007/s001270050224. ISSN 1433-9285. PMID 10541669. S2CID 25792055.
  13. ^ "Dr. Fatima Akilu Executive Director". Neem Foundation. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Fears for Nigeria's counter-radicalisation programme as British-trained head is ousted". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  15. ^ Nwaobani, Adaobi Tricia (20 December 2018). "The Women Rescued from Boko Haram Who Are Returning to Their Captors". New Yorker. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  16. ^ "Better education can help overcome differences in polarised world". Gulf Times. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  17. ^ "UN counter-terrorism chief urges continued vigilance against 'real' ongoing threat". UN NEws. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Fatima Akilu - Nigeria Book Author: Contact Details, Books, Biography". PubMatch. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  19. ^ Freeman, Colin (2 June 2015). "Meet the former NHS psychologist trying to get inside the mind of Boko Haram". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  20. ^ "2012 Winners". Moonbeamawards.com. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
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