Rate My Professor Oluwagbenga Akinlabi

Oluwagbenga Michael Akinlabi serves as Lecturer in Criminology at the University of New England in Armidale, Australia, within the Department of Criminology and Linguistics and the School of Behavioural Cognitive and Social Sciences. He commenced this position in February 2013 following the completion of his PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith University, where he also held a Postgraduate Research Scholarship. Prior to his doctoral studies, Akinlabi earned an MPhil in Criminological Research. His academic trajectory reflects a commitment to advancing knowledge in criminal justice, particularly through empirical research conducted in diverse global contexts.

Akinlabi's research interests center on procedural justice, police legitimacy, public compliance with the law, police use of force, corruption, accountability, and policing practices in the Global South, with significant emphasis on Nigeria. Notable publications include 'Citizens' accounts of police use of force and its implication for police legitimacy in Nigeria' published in 2020 in Justice Quarterly; 'Dull compulsion or perceived legitimacy? Assessing why people comply with the law in Nigeria' in Police Practice and Research in 2018; 'Why do Nigerians cooperate with the police? Legitimacy, procedural justice and other contextual factors in Nigeria' in 2017; and 'Do the police really protect and serve the public? Police deviance and public cynicism towards the law in Nigeria' also in 2017 in Criminology & Criminal Justice. He contributed to the edited volume 'Policing the Global South: Colonial Legacies, Pluralities, Partnerships, and Reform' in 2022. Akinlabi's scholarship has garnered substantial citations, influencing discourse on police-public relations in developing nations. Among his accolades are the 2018 Endeavour Executive Fellowship at the University of Cambridge, Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and over 15 scholarships, grants, and recognitions. At UNE, he delivered a research seminar in March 2020 and maintains an association with the Centre for Rural Criminology.