Nigerian Academy of Science has appointed Friday Okonofua of the University of Benin as its vice-president. The appointment was disclosed in a statement released on Wednesday by Benedicta Ehanire, a spokeswoman for UNIBEN.
Mr. Okonofua is the director of the World Bank programmes in UNIBEN and the leader of the university’s Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation (CERHI).
The appointment was through a process of nominations by a committee of past presidents of the academy and senior professors across various science disciplines, said the statement.
At the academy’s most recent general assembly, Mr. Okonofua was appointed among the 14 eggheads who were evaluated in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Lilian Salami, vice-chancellor of UNIBEN, expressed her absence of surprise at the selection, characterising the professor as a unique individual and a significant asset to both the organisation and society.
She said the professor of obstetrics and gynaecology always demonstrated his unalloyed commitment to advancing people and their well-being and promoting high standards for society.
The new appointee oversees UNIBEN’s Research and Grants Directorate and is the pioneer vice-chancellor of Nigeria’s first University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.