Professor Tavs Atavwoda Abere is the dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Madonna University, Elele, Rivers State. A teacher par excellence, Abere is a professor of Pharmacognosy and was the vice-chairman of Delta State Traditional Medicine Board, from 2016 to 2023.
Abere obtained his secondary school certificate (WASC) at Federal Government College, Warri, in 1986, through the Federal Government of Nigeria College Scholarship Official Gazette No. 37, Vol.70. He obtained his Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm.) degree in 1994, from the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, and thereafter obtained his Masters of Science (M. Sc.) in Pharmacognosy in 1998, also from the University of Benin.
In May 2012, Abere bagged Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Pharmacognosy from the University of Benin. He teaches Phytochemistry, Evaluation and Formulation of Phytomedicines, Herbal and Alternative Medicine, and other pharmacognosy and biotechnology courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in universities. He has also served as an external examiner to many universities, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Abere was the head of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, from 2011 to 2014. He was also a coordinator of the Pharm.D Conversion Programme, University of Benin, between 2005 and 2006. He was the Faculty of Pharmacy representative in the University Certificate Screening Committee, University of Benin from 2009 to 2011.
Abere was the pioneer head, Department of Pharmacognosy and Traditional Medicine, Delta State University, Abraka, from 2010 to 2013. He was the head, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology at Madonna University, from 2017 to 2021. He was also the pioneer coordinator, School of Postgraduate Studies, Madonna University, from 2018 to 2020.
A professional to the core, Abere was the coordinator of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN)’s Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) Programme, Benin City Centre, from 2011 to 2015. He has also been a member of the PCN Accreditation Committee to Nigerian Universities and is currently a member of the PCN Foreign-Trained Pharmacists Assessment Committee, as well as the PCN Education Committee.
Abere belongs to various professional bodies. Aside from being a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), he is also a member of the PSN National Education and Research Committee. He was the editor-in-chief for PSN, Edo State Branch, from 2002 to 2005 and later became the public relations officer, PSN, Edo State, from 2005 to 2006.
Abere is a member of the National Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA), as well as the Nigeria Society of Pharmacognosy (NSP). In 2002, he became the national treasurer of NSP and held the position till 2007. He became the zonal coordinator of NSP in 2011 and held the post till 2014.
Abere has attended local and international conferences. He has also delivered lectures at conferences and meetings within and outside Nigeria, including Germany and Brazil. He has published several research articles in peer-review journals.
