The Board of Fellows (BOF) of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), has presented a N1 million cheque to Mrs Uduak I. Olayemi, winner, BOF 2021 Research Grant.
Olayemi, a lecturer at the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy,
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), was one of the 32 applicants who applied for the grant, in support of her Ph.D work, titled “Isolation and Characterization of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors from South Western Nigerian Plants Relevant in Parkinson’s Disease and Associated Depression”.
In a related development, the Board has got newly elected executives, who emerged after the elections conducted at the Annual General Meeting of the 94th Annual National Conference of PSN, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Pharm.(Dr) Joel Adagadzu, emerged the new chairman with a total votes of 111 , to edge out his opponent, Pharm. Chinedum Ilozor, with only 41 votes. Pharm.(Chief) Yetunde Morohundiya, won the contest for the vice-chairmanship with 79 votes, while the other aspirant for the post Pharm.(Mrs) Abiola Okeowo, polled 48 votes.
Two candidates also won the unofficial members post, in person of
Pharm. (Chief) Chris Ibeto, with 63 votes and Pharm Rametu Momodu. 77 votes. Meanwhile the treasurer,Pharm. Ngozi Obikili,was elected unopposed.
Presenting the N1 million cheque to Olayemi at the BOF’s office in Lagos recently, the outgoing Chairman, BOF, Prof. (Mrs) Mbang Femi-Oyewo, congratulated her for emerging the winner out of 32 applications received for the grant, after thorough screening was done by the research committee. She noted that the grant is to support research work, which will facilitate easy completion of the project.
According to Prof. Femi-Oyewo, “the Board through its committee has worked on modalities to call for submission of research proposals and the guidelines established. Research proposals were received and assessed using external assessors by the committee. The committee has since submitted its report. The winner of the N1m BOF 2021 Research Grant is Pharm. (Mrs.) U. I. Olayemi, from Obafemi Awolowo University, Department of Pharmacognosy and Faculty of Pharmacy”.
She disclosed that the grant was formerly N300,000, but considering the effect of inflation in the country and the cost of completing academic research, the committee reviewed it upward to N1 million. She further explained that the award should have been presented at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the just concluded 94th Annual National Conference of the PSN, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but due to some domestic engagement of the awardee, the Board had to shift it to a future date to allow the winner to be in attendance.
The veteran academician charged the Olayemi to fly the flag of the Board as high as possible, because being the winner of the grant has automatically made her the flagbearer of the Board. She assured the grantee of their availability in assisting in whatever capacity in the course of her project, as the Board the publication of her findings in two high impact journals.
“We expect to see the result of the research in two high profiled journals. Make the Chairman of the research grant committee and myself your mentors, because our objective is to mentor young pharmacists, we are available to guide you through”, she stated.
The BOF’s outgoing chairman, also mentioned another category of award- Best Graduating Student Award, the Board gives in supporting best graduating students in the assigned course of study in the accredited faculties of Pharmacy in Nigeria universities, which comes with the sum of N50,000 and an award plaque. She disclosed that 23 Students from the accredited universities received the BOF Best Graduating Student Award while she was in office.
Also congratulating the awardee, the Chairman, BOF Research Grant Committee, Prof. Kemi Odukoya, urged her to sustain her culture of diligence, as her thoroughness in adhering to the proposal guidelines earned her the award. “This fund is a challenge for you, as all eyes are on you, your department, faculty and institution for the result”.
The Professor of Pharmacognosy, also counselled the grantee on proper time management, while she strives to strike a balance between her academic work and family, as one must not suffer for the other.
While charging her to plan the research work in phases, Prof. Odukoya told Olayemi that the Board expects progress report of each phase of the investigation on or before due date as stipulated in her letter.
The awardee was also mandated
to renew her practicing license with the PCN as soon as possible, as the Board required a copy of it.
In her response, Olayemi, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the BOF and research committee members, assuring them that she will not let them down.
While acknowledging that doing research in public universities is very challenging, she said the grant will accelerate the progress of her research work.
 of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), has presented a N1 million cheque to Mrs Uduak I. Olayemi, winner, BOF 2021 Research Grant.){kind=link}