Writings & Talks

Below is a list of my theses, public writings, guest talks, research publications, teachings and presentations; including dates and links to available publications.

Theses

In Our Own Voices: A Critical Participatory Study of the Wellbeing of Female Undergraduate Students in Nigeria (2020). Doctoral thesis, University of Bristol.

The Impact of Informal Learning on the Aspirations and Experiences of Girls in Rural Igboland of Nigeria (2015). Master’s Dissertation, University of Bristol. available on request.

Public Writings

Enabling young Nigerian entrepreneurs to thrive. A University of Bristol, School of Education impact story.

Female students for political leadership in Nigeria: mirroring possibilities? Blog post written with Oluwadamilola Akintewe for the School of Education, University of Bristol.

Four Black women who have advanced human rights. Article written with Dr Afua Twum-Danso Imoh for The Conversation UK on International Women’s Day 2022.

‘Decolonization is not a metaphor’. Blog post written with Suzanne van Even for the South West Doctoral Training Partnership’s (SWDTP) Decolonising Social Research series.

Looking Back, Looking Forward. Gender and Education Association’s Countdown-to-Conference series.

Fighting Patriarchy One Woman at a time. Centre for Comparative and International Research in Education (CIRE) on International Women’s Day 2019.

Guest Talks

Leadership Tips for Young Women. Interview with Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) for International Women’s Day 2021.

Keynote speech: Victimology and The Epistemological Absence of Mental Health Resources in the Academy. The 2nd Annual Forensic Victimology and Victim Support Conference, University of Nairobi, Kenya, 2019.

Social Injustices and Students Leadership. Students Session at the 2nd Annual Forensic Victimology and Victim Support Conference, University of Nairobi, Kenya, 2019.

Gender Agenda. NYSC Community Development Event, Abuja, 2011.

Self-Development beyond the Walls of the Campus. Youth of Excellence Undergraduates’ Conference, Benin City, 2011.

Springboard – Your Health Challenge. Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Women Leaders’ Committee, Lagos, 2010.

Self Esteem. Daughters of Abraham Foundation, Abuja, 2009.

Assert for Success: You win, They win! Vanguard ALLURE WoW Exposé, Lagos, 2009.

Business Skills, Personal Development and Nation Building. Traders Microfinance Bank, Lagos, 2009.

Life Skills Empowerment for Growth. Dynamic Exclusive Club, Lagos, 2009.

Publications

Nwako, Z. (2023), with Ukwu, N. and Ossi, I. J. Unclipped Wings: A female student’s struggle for wellbeing and equity. A graphic novella.

Nwako, Z., Daniel, J., Angsten-Clark, A., Flint, A. and Jarman, D. (2023). A Peer Training Guide for Young Entrepreneurs. An ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) funded toolkit. Available from the accompanying website: https://nigeriapreneurs.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/

Morris, C., Masika, R., Nwako, Z., Ogunji, C. and Nwajiuba, C. (2023). Responding to the needs of women students with caring responsibilities in Nigeria. In: A. CohenMiller, T. Hinton-Smith, F. Mazanderani, & N. Samuel, Leading change in gender and diversity in higher education from margins to mainstream (ch. 4). London: Routledge.

Nwako, Z., Grieve, T., Mitchell, R., Paulson, J., Saeed, T., Shanks, K. and Wilder, R. (2023). Doing harm: The impact of UK’s GCRF cuts on research ethics, partnerships and governance. Global Social Challenges Journal, Vol. 2, pp. 64-85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1332/GJSZ3052

Williams, K., Nwako, Z., Angsten-Clark, A. and Daniel, J. (2021). ‘I’m not the only one hustling to escape poverty’: Resilience through International Networks. A Brigstow Institute funded research. Report available on request.

Kere Abdulrahman, H., Adebisi, F., Nwako, Z. and Walton, E. (2021). ‘Revisiting (inclusive) education in the postcolony. Journal of the British Academy, 9(s1), pp. 47-75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/009s1.047

Sprague, T., Nwako, Z., Kulundu-Bolus, I., Tikly, L., Wals, A., Facer, K., Elmi, M., and Imaniriho, D. (2021). Co-Creating Education for Sustainable Futures. A TESF Methodology Background Paper. Bristol, TESF.

Nwako, Z. (2021). Activist or Advocate? Redefining Scholarly Risk in an African Research Context. In: Mulligan, D. L. and Danaher, P. A. (Eds.), Researchers at Risk: Precarity, Jeopardy and Uncertainty in Academia. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-53857-6 Chp. 19, pp. 295-309. Palgrave Macmillan.

Morris, C., Nwajiuba, C., Ogunji, C. Masika, R. and Nwako, Z. (2020). Supporting women students in Nigerian Higher Education. A Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) funded study report for the University of Portsmouth. Report available on request.

Owens-Ibie, N., Nwako, Z. and Ajufoh, C. (2010). Building Together: Peer Education Resource Kit for Community Women. Abuja: ActionAid Nigeria.

Nwako, Zibah (2009). Springboard Women’s Development Workbook (1st Nigerian Edition). By: L. Willis and J. Daisley (Eds.). Abuja: Fruitful Prints and Publications. Published by AFFIRM Consulting, Training and Coaching Limited.

Presentations & Teachings

Individual Differences in Mental Health and Well-being. Introduction to Psychology, 1st year module, School of Social Sciences, University of the West of England (UWE), 2022 and 2023.

Representing women students’ activism through decolonial African comics. Paper presentation with Jennifer I. Ossi. Comics and the Global South Conference, University of Cambridge, 2022.

Framing Your Research. Two-day training for PhD students at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Bristol, 2022.

Exploring Wellbeing with female students in Nigerian universities. Community Engagement component – B.A. English Literature and Community Engagement degree, University of Bristol, 2022.

Towards an African Feminist Framework for students’ welfare in Nigeria. Higher Education & Human Development’s Brownbag Tea session, University of the Free State, South Africa, 2021.

An African Feminist Framework for students’ welfare in Nigeria. Oxford-Africa course: Decolonising Research Methodologies. University of Oxford, 2021.

Southern Feminisms and Postcolonialism. Education viewed from the Global South, postgraduate taught unit, School of Education, University of Bristol, 2020.

Higher Education and Postcolonialism. Past, Present and Futures, 2nd year unit, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Bristol, 2020.

“It’s like that thing that touches me inside my heart”: Subjective wellbeing experiences of female students in Nigeria. A Bristol Conversations in Education seminar on New Directions for Wellbeing in Education, 2020.

Values in Research (and the ‘ologies). Being Human, 1st year unit, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Bristol, 2019.

Exploring the Wellbeing of Higher Education Students in Africa through Post-colonial Feminist theory. The African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA) Third Biennial Conference, Nairobi, Kenya, 2019.

“No female student can run for President”: Prevailing higher education institutional inequalities in Nigeria. Paper presentation, Gender and Education Association Conference, Portsmouth, 2019.

Inclusive Design and Responsible Researcher Positioning. Transdisciplinary Group Project: Doing Something Completely New, 3rd year unit, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Bristol, 2019.

Problematising Subjective Wellbeing with Female Undergraduate Students in Nigeria. Paper presentation, SRHE Newer Researchers Conference, Newport, Wales, 2017.

Conducting a Conceptual Literature Review. IEI presentation, School of Education, University of Bristol, 2017.

Theory to Practice, Theory vs. Method. A work-in-progress presentation, Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol, 2016.

The Wellbeing of Nigerian Female Undergraduate Students – An Ethnographic Study. Poster presentation, Ethnography Symposium, University of the West of England, Bristol, 2016.

Blurred Boundaries: Ethical Dilemmas of an “international-home” researcher. Paper presentation, British Association for International and Comparative Education (BIACE) Student Conference, Institute of Education, London, 2016.

In their own voices: Empowering Female Undergraduate Students in Nigeria. Paper presentation, Doctoral Conference, Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol, 2016.

“Nigeria go survive”: A message of HOPE to our Springboard and Navigator Colleagues. Presentation at the Springboard “Making a Splash” Conference, Hook, Hampshire, 2014.

Excellent Practice in Early Years Education and Childcare. A two-day INSET workshop at Children’s World Academy, 2011.

Outstanding Practice in Early Years Education and Care. A two-day INSET workshop at The Oakland School, Abuja, 2010.

Assertiveness. Workshop at Famaks International Schools, Abuja, 2010.

Overview of Springboard Africa. Presentation at the Springboard “Lighting Fires” Conference, Rugby, Warwickshire, 2010.