President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor John Obafunwa as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).
Professor Obafunwa will take over from Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure ends on July 23, 2024.
According to a statement from Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), the appointment will be effective from July 24, 2024.
President Tinubu also expressed his gratitude to Professor Salako for his dedicated service to the nation.
Professor Obafunwa graduated in medicine from the University of Lagos in 1980 and specialized in Anatomic Pathology, completing his studies in May 1987.
He later sub-specialized in Forensic Pathology in Scotland in 1991 and earned a law degree from England in 2004. He holds several other academic qualifications and is a member of various professional bodies in the UK, USA, and Nigeria.
Professor Obafunwa has worked in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and the UK before returning to Nigeria in November 2004 to accept a position as Professor of Forensic Pathology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM). He has also served as Provost of LASUCOM, Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State, and Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University. Prior to his new appointment, he was the International Regional Advisor of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Professor Obafunwa has authored numerous scientific publications and contributed chapters to textbooks. His research spans both anatomic and forensic pathology, and he is currently engaged in research in forensic entomology and taphonomy at the University of Nebraska, USA.
President Tinubu expressed his expectations that the new Director-General will leverage his extensive experience and qualifications to advance the NIMR’s mission. This includes leading research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria, developing structures for disseminating research findings, and providing an enabling environment and facilities for health research and training in collaboration with federal and state ministries of health.