UNILAG Honours Conflict-focused PhD Research as Survivor-scholar Turns Lived Adversity into Policy-relevant Insight

Desk: Education | Gender 
Date: Thursday, 6 February 2026
Time: 22:10 WAT
Location: Lagos, Nigeria

The University of Lagos has awarded the Best Thesis in Humanities to Educational Psychologist Dr. Beatrice Paul Zuhumben for doctoral research examining how skill acquisition training and social support shape the psychological well-being of women exposed to violent conflict in Plateau State, Nigeria spotlighting survivor-led scholarship with direct policy and humanitarian relevance.

According to the University of Lagos convocation citation, the thesis, titled “Effects of Skill Acquisition Training and Social Support on the Psychological Well-Being of Women Exposed to Violent Conflict in Plateau State, Nigeria,” was recognised for its methodological rigor, grounded fieldwork, and contribution to evidence-based responses for conflict-affected women and communities.

The research draws from first-hand contextual understanding of Plateau State’s recurring crises, documenting how disrupted education, trauma, and economic displacement disproportionately affect women and children. Beyond descriptive analysis, the study advances applied pathways for psychosocial recovery, community reintegration, and policy-informed interventions through vocational empowerment and structured support systems.

Dr. Zuhumben’s academic trajectory reflects a non-linear but persistent climb through Nigeria’s education system, progressing from secondary education to Grade II Certificate, NCE, B.Ed., M.Ed., and ultimately a PhD in Educational Psychology. Her work reframes conflict research through the lens of lived experience, positioning scholarship as both analytical and restorative.

The award also acknowledges resilience under adversity. In April 2024, Dr. Zuhumben survived a life-threatening accident requiring multiple surgeries, returning to complete and defend her doctoral research while undergoing physical recovery—an experience that reinforced the study’s core themes of endurance, agency, and recovery.

According to academic supervisors from the Department of Educational Foundations, the thesis stood out for centring human experience without sacrificing empirical discipline, offering scalable insights for educators, mental health practitioners, and policymakers addressing conflict-related trauma.

FACT-CHECK & BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Plateau State has experienced intermittent violent conflict over decades, with women frequently bearing the long-term psychological and socio-economic consequences. 

Research linking vocational empowerment and social support to improved mental health outcomes has gained traction globally, but locally grounded Nigerian studies remain limited. 

UNILAG’s Best Thesis in Humanities recognises scholarship with demonstrable societal relevance, originality, and policy applicability.

The findings add momentum to calls for integrating psychosocial support and skill acquisition into post-conflict recovery frameworks, particularly within education, gender, and humanitarian policy design across Nigeria’s conflict-affected regions.

🏷 Tags: Education, Gender, Conflict Research, University of Lagos, Social Impact, Psychology

#UNILAG #WomenAndConflict #EducationImpact #ResearchForPolicy #ZigDiaries

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