By: Aduwo Ayodele
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration at the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter O. Olapegba, on Tuesday, 9 January, 2023 stated that the University is always glad to welcome back its alumni, especially those who have impacted the society positively and have also made the University proud.
Professor Olapegba made this comment while receiving, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, the Faculty of Science Guest Lecturer, Professor Vincent C. O. Njar, who paid the management team a courtesy visit.
The Guest lecturer, Professor Njar heads the Medicinal Chemistry Section, Centre for Biomolecular Therapeutics, Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland, USA.
Professor Njar lecture was entitled “The Discovery and Development of Galeterone and the Next Generation Galeterone Analogues (NGGAs) for Prostrate Cancer Therapy”.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olapegba described Professor Njar as “an indigene” of UI, while commending and nothing that the Guest Lecturer had flown the flag of UI highly in the United States of America.
In his charge, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, who doubles as the Director of the Office of Alumni Relations urged Professor Njar to facilitate a partnership between UI and the University of Maryland, USA
The DVC (Administration) explained further that UI would love to collaborate on best global practices and student exchange programmes.
Responding, Professor Njar, recalling his experience as an undergraduate student, narrated that he arrived the University of Ibadan in 1973 as a Direct Entry student, graduated from UI in 1976, did his NYSC programme in UI and was offered appointment as a Graduate Assistant in 1977.
According to Professor Njar, he went abroad for further studies but came back to UI as a Lecturer II in 1982, following which he became a full professor in 1996, retired in 1998, and then went to the USA in 1999 as a professor, medicinal chemist, and oncopharmacologist specialist in anti cancer drug discovery and development.
Professor Njar expressed his happiness to be back in UI to deliver the Faculty of Science Guest Lecture.
