Tinubu names Obafunwa as NIMR boss

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sanctioned the appointment of Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa as the incoming head of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).

Professor Obafunwa is set to assume leadership from Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure as Director-General of NIMR concludes on July 23, 2024.

According to a statement released by Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa’s appointment as Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) will officially commence on July 24, 2024.

Ngelale said that President Tinubu extended his gratitude to Professor Salako for his service to the nation.

Professor Obafunwa qualified in medicine from the University of Lagos in 1980, following which he specialized in Anatomic Pathology (morphological study of diseases), graduating in May 1987.

The new Director General of NIMR later sub-specialized in Forensic Pathology in Scotland (1991) and obtained a law degree from England (2004).

Prof Obafunwa, who has a number of other academic qualifications and holds membership of various professional bodies in the UK, USA, and Nigeria, had worked in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and the UK before returning to Nigeria in November 2004 to take up an appointment as Professor of Forensic Pathology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).

He is a former provost of LASUCOM, Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State, and former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University.

Until his latest appointment, Prof Obafunwa was the International Regional Advisor of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Obafunwa boasts an impressive academic portfolio, having authored numerous scientific papers and contributed expert chapters to various textbooks.

His research expertise encompasses both anatomic and forensic pathology, with ongoing projects at the University of Nebraska in the USA, focusing on innovative applications in forensic entomology and taphonomy.

According to the statement, President Tinubu anticipates that Professor Obafunwa will leverage his vast expertise and qualifications to enhance the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research’s (NIMR) mission.

This includes spearheading cutting-edge research on diseases of significant public health concern in Nigeria, establishing effective channels for sharing research outcomes, and fostering a supportive environment and state-of-the-art facilities for health research and training.

This collaborative effort will be undertaken in conjunction with the federal and state ministries of health.