National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Taiwo Niyi
President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), effective from July 24, 2024. Professor Obafunwa succeeds Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure ends on July 23, 2024.
In a statement issued by ,Chief Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) President Tinubu expressed gratitude to Professor Salako for his contributions to the nation.
Professor Obafunwa’s extensive qualifications include a medical degree from the University of Lagos in 1980, specialization in Anatomic Pathology in 1987, and further training in Forensic Pathology in Scotland in 1991. He also holds a law degree from England, obtained in 2004, along with several other academic qualifications. His professional affiliations span the UK, USA, and Nigeria.
Before his appointment, Professor Obafunwa worked internationally in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and the UK. He returned to Nigeria in 2004 as a Professor of Forensic Pathology at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), where he also served as Provost, Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State, and Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University. Most recently, he was the International Regional Advisor for the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Professor Obafunwa has authored numerous scientific publications and contributed to medical textbooks, with research interests in anatomic and forensic pathology, forensic entomology, and taphonomy at the University of Nebraska, USA.
President Tinubu looks forward to Professor Obafunwa leveraging his expertise to advance NIMR’s mission of conducting research on diseases of public health significance in Nigeria, enhancing research dissemination, and supporting health research and training in collaboration with federal and state health ministries.
