Pharm. (Sir, Dr) Gabriel Lambert Eradiri, OFR

pharmacy

Pharm. (Sir, Dr) Gabriel Lambert Eradiri, OFR, is the managing director and superintendent pharmacist of Niger-Bay Pharmacy Limited, Port-Harcourt, which won the Oscar prize in Madrid, Spain in 1990, and the 1992 Olympic Award, for ethical practice of pharmacy and professional excellence.

Born on 25 November, 1934, he attended Okrika Grammar School and after a year experience as a Medical Laboratory Technician in the Pathology Department of the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos (1957-58) he proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Ibadan (1958-60) where he completed his A levels.

An untiring Eradiri forged ahead to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) where he bagged a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) honours degree. In 1964 he was admitted a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, and for two years worked as hospital pharmacist at the General Hospital Lagos, Chest Clinic Lagos, and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital.

A diligent Eradiri has served in over 25 positions in various public offices in Nigeria. He taught at the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Ife (OAU), Ile-Ife, in 1967. He also worked briefly at the United Kingdom as a Manufacturing and Dispensing Pharmacist at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London. Returning to Lagos, he worked as a Pharmacist at Gbaja Street Health Centre, Surulere, and as a Production Pharmacist at the Federal Drugs Manufacturing Laboratory in Yaba.

Dr Eradiri, whose experience spans both private and public sectors, also served as a Federal Government Pharmaceutical Inspector and Acting Superintendent Pharmacist in charge of the Federal Pharmaceutical Inspectorate of Lagos. He however established his private pharmacy- Niger Bay Pharmacy Ltd. in 1969, a company which he has been successfully managed from then till now. He is also the chairman and principal of Daniel Foundation for Higher Education, which has produced over 225 university graduates between 1971 and 2011.

A recipient of several awards, Eradiri is an awardee of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) 2006. He received an honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) degree from the Malborough University, USA, and also the Doctorate Fellowship of the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria (DFIAMN). He has won scholarships and awards throughout his educational career, culminating in the Federal Government Scholarship on merit for Pharmacy from the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter. He has been awarded the Merit Award by the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (National) for distinguished contributions to Pharmacy (1995).

Eradiri is a member of the Institute of Pharmacy Management, London; the International Pharmacy Federation, the Society of Health Nigeria (Life Member) and a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society Nigeria.

His professional service includes: secretary of the Pharmaceutical Law Review Committee, Lagos (1965-66); National Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Pharmacists (1967-77); PSN Representative at the Federal Government Pharmacist Board of Nigeria (1972-74) and First National Deputy President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (1994-97).