The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm) has announced Professor Lere Baale as its new president. This announcement was made during the academy’s 10th anniversary celebration and investiture of new Fellows, which took place on Thursday, 19 September, 2024 at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Hall, University of Lagos.
The event which was attended by stakeholders in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry also witnessed representations from members of other professional bodies, including the Nigeria Academy of Letters, the Nigeria Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Bar Association, just to mention a few.
Welcoming guests to the occasion, outgoing Vice-President of NAPharm, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, thanked them for finding time out of their busy schedules to grace the occasion. He also expressed NAPharm’s sense of gratitude to the Borno State Governor, for sending his deputy, despite the fact that the state has been grappling with the flooding tragedy that has led to the displacement of families in Maiduguri and environs.
Pharm. Atueyi added that the occasion was a result of many months of serious work by the committee which was saddled with the responsibility of planning for its success right from the beginning of the year.
In his remarks, outgoing President of NAPharm, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, appreciated the Governor of Borno State for sending his deputy to represent him, adding that Professor Zulum is a pacesetting governor, a man of systems who knows that the invitation from the academy is not just any other invitation.
He added that the NAPharm Honorary Fellowship Award is highly prestigious and only reserved for highflying Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.
“Despite the flooding crisis, something tells me that going by the governor’s training as an engineer, we shall overcome”, he added.
While congratulating the new fellows on their investiture, Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi said NAPharm has been and would continue to be “a thing of beauty and a joy forever” quoting famous British poet, John Keats.
“At 10, NAPharm has gone through a lot of challenges but through resilience, it has overcome”, he added.
Special Guest and Governor of Borno State, Professor Babangana Umara Zulum, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, was conferred with an honorary fellowship by the academy, in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a public servant.
Speaking on the theme of NAPharm’s 10th anniversary celebration – “Healthcare Transformation for National Development”, Zulum outlined the significant contributions of quality healthcare to economic development and urged stakeholders to think out of the box in order to sustain the momentum of excellence in the sector.
“Healthcare is one of the most critical pillars of any society, serving as a foundation for individuals’ wellbeing and economic growth. When a nation invests in transforming its healthcare system, it invests in its people and ultimately, its future.
“A robust, accessible and efficient healthcare system fosters a healthy workforce, enhances productivity, reduces poverty and contributes to societal stability. This essay explores how healthcare transformation drives national development by examining its impact on economic growth, social equity, human capital development and technological innovation…
“National development becomes more inclusive when all citizens can access the necessary healthcare. Healthy citizens are better equipped to participate in the economy, contribute to social and civic life and break the cycle of poverty. Healthcare transformation promotes social cohesion, stability and shares prosperity by reducing health disparities”, he said.
13 Fellows were inducted into the academy – 4 from 2023 and 9 from 2024. The 2023 Fellows were Pharm. Bunmi Aribeana; Dr Obi Adigwe; Professor Martins Emeje and Pharm. Earnest Okafor. The 2024 Fellows were Professor Olusola Aremu; Pharm. Rahman Jimoh Bioku; Pharm. Olubukola Adewunmi (Bukky George) and Pharm. Adeyinka Adebowale Ishola. Others were Pharm. Rametu Momodu; Pharm. Dr Modupe Oyawole; Pharm. Professor Rebecca Soremekun; Pharm. Professor Chinwe Victoria Ukwe; and Pharm. Aliyu Zakari.
The high point of the occasion witnessed the unveiling of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy Innovation Centre (NAPIC) which was done by the Borno State Governor, represented by his deputy, alongside the outgoing NAPharm President and other executive members of the academy. This was followed by the inauguration of the new executive committee of the academy, headed by Professor Lere Baale.
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