Opiyo Oloya

{{Infobox person

| name = Opiyo Oloya

| image =

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| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1958}}

| birth_place = Pamin-Yai, Amuru District, Uganda

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| alma_mater =Queen's University
{{small|(Bachelor of Arts in Political Science)}}
University of Ottawa
{{small|(Master of Education)}}
York University
{{small|(Doctor of Philosophy)}}

| occupation = Educator

| years_active = 1982 — present

| nationality = Ugandan

| citizenship = Uganda

| known_for = Authoring

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| spouse =

}}

Opiyo Oloya is a Ugandan-born educator and author, living in Canada, currently Western University's Associate Vice President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.Western News 13 July 2021 https://news.westernu.ca/2021/07/opiyo-oloya-to-lead-equity-work/ He wrote Child to Soldier published by the University of Toronto Press in 2013. The book deals with the experience of child soldiers recruited to the army of Joseph Kony.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/1463301-fleet-footed-principal-leads-by-example/ |title=Fleet-footed principal leads by example |date=20 October 2011 |access-date=5 December 2019 |publisher=Yorkregion.com |author=Teresa Latchford |place=Newmarket, Ontario, Canada}}

Early life and education

Oloya was born in the village of Pamin-Yai, in modern-day Amuru District, Northern Region, Uganda, in 1957.{{cite web|

url=http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/20/723474|title=Happy Father's Day Mzee Alipayo Oloya! I Salute You|date=22 June 2010|last=Oloya|

access-date=1 April 2015|newspaper=New Vision (Kampala)| first=Opiyo}} At the time of his birth, Amuru District was part of neighboring Gulu District. After attending local primarily schools, he was admitted to Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School for part of his O-Level studies (S1 to S3), from 1973 until 1976. He transferred to St. Peter's College Tororo, completing both his O-Level and A-Level education there, from 1976 until 1979. In 1979 he was admitted to Makerere University to pursue a degree in political science. While at Makerere, he became active in campus politics and was elected president of Makerere University Students' Guild. His views clashed with those of the ruling Obote II regime at the time.{{cite web|access-date=1 April 2015| publisher=Rootsworld.com|title=Biography of Opiyo Oloya|first=Opiyo| url=http://www.rootsworld.com/rw/feature/oloyabio.html|last=Oloya|

date=2008}}

In 1981, he fled to neighboring Kenya, before finishing his undergraduate studies.{{cite news |last=Lubega |first=Henry |date=2019 |title=He fled Mak a student, returned as a lecturer |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/He-fled-Mak-student-returned-lecturer/688334-5184728-eavhac/index.html |work=Daily Monitor |access-date=7 October 2019 }} He filed for refugee status in Kenya and was accepted by Canada, where he relocated in 1981. He continued his studies at Queen's University, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1986. He went on to attain the degree of Master of Education from the University of Ottawa in 1988. In June 2010, he successfully defended his thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at York University.

Career

Oloya is the author of several books, including Child to Soldier (University of Toronto Press, 2013) and Black Hawks rising: the story of AMISOM’s successful war against Somali insurgents, 2007-2014.{{cite journal |last1=Hurlbut |first1=Joanne |date=2015 |title=Review: Child to Soldier: Stories from Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army |journal=Nova Religio |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=126–8 |doi=10.1525/nr.2015.18.3.126 |jstor=10.1525/nr.2015.18.3.126 }}{{cite magazine |last=Smillie |first=Ian |date=2013 |title=Malleable Cannon Fodder |url=http://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2013/09/malleable-cannon-fodder/ |magazine=Literary Review of Canada Magazine |publisher=Literary Review of Canada |access-date=7 October 2019 }}{{cite journal |last1=Solomon |first1=Hussein |date=2017 |title=Book Review: BLACK HAWKS RISING: THE STORY OF AMISOM'S SUCCESSFUL WAR AGAINST SOMALI INSURGENTS, 2007-2014. |url=https://www.ajol.info/index.php/smsajms/article/view/160599/150170 |journal=Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=155–7 |doi=10.5787/45-1-1199 |access-date=7 October 2019 |doi-access=free }} Opiyo Oloya's chosen main career is in education.