Commissioning Of The Nathaniel O. Idowu Multi-Disciplinary Translational Research Complex, In The Faculty Of Basic Medical Sciences, College Of Medicine, University Of Ibadan

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GROUNDBREAKING, CONTEXT RELEVANT RESEARCH IS BEDROCK OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – VP OSINBAJO

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NATHANIEL O. IDOWU MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH COMPLEX, IN THE FACULTY OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN ON THE 27^THOF OCTOBER, 2018.

Protocols.

Let me say first that it a real pleasure to be here at the Premiere University in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan. I must say that to acknowledge the University of Ibadan, as Premiere University is a matter of history. Although, from a Professor of the University of Lagos, you must also agree that it is a very serious concession that I’m making here today. But the fact is fact; you are indeed a Premiere University in Nigeria.

And I’m honored by the invitation of the Vice Chancellor to commission the first of its kind, the Nathaniel O. Idowu Multi-disciplinary Translational Research Complex, in the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

This sort of collaborative project, between the private sector and the public sector, exemplifies the Federal Government in the area of research, where funding is always short. But why a Translational Research Center at Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine here at the University of Ibadan?

The University of Ibadan is by all accounts the flagship of tertiary education in Nigeria. Its college of medicine is the first medical school in West Africa and is acknowledged as the leading center for biomedical research and training in this country. And this assertion is confirmed by the fact that the institution is the recipient of perhaps up to 50% of all biomedical research grants in the country and publishes high-quality scientific papers in international journals.

The college has trained more than 40% of all post-graduate degree fellowship Diploma Holders in medical education in Nigeria, many of who today are on the teaching staff of other medical schools in Nigeria and even in other Commonwealth world countries.

Groundbreaking, context relevant research is the bedrock of sustainable development and I believe that the University of Ibadan has long championed this town-to-gown or town and gown approach via innovation, which imparts community life.

However, over the years the University has needed to develop new resource strategies to maintain its leadership position in biomedical research in view of the dwindling funding from public sources. This has hampered the ability of the college of medicine, to attract sufficient grants towards capacity development and expansion of facilities to improve efficiency.

And so, there was clearly a need to expand the scope of research and access to cutting-edge research faculties on the main campus of the University. The quest to ensure sustained sources of resource for research and training led to the donation of the Nathaniel O. Idowu Multi-Disciplinary Translational Research Complex by the foundation.

This three hundred and fifty million research complex, comprises of purpose designed laboratories, teaching rooms and offices for researchers in the Nathaniel O. Idowu physiology and pharmacology research units as well as a renovated and expanded animal house.

This complex will enhance the capacity to conduct cutting-edge basic research across the departments of the college situated at the mini-campus. It will also facilitate collaboration with departments in other faculties of the University such as Veterinary Medicine, Technology Science, Renewable Natural Resources and Agriculture.

In the Nathaniel O. Idowu physiology and pharmacology research units is by provision of these faculties, empowered to improve our medical research impact of the College of Medicine, and its parent, the University of Ibadan. The unit, we’re told will prioritize research and prevailing partnerships with the industry to ensure industry relevant training of postgraduate students in Nigeria, Africa and other countries in the world.

The unit will actively pursue partnerships with industry and collaborate on society and relevant research, capable of attracting sustainable local and international funding. These funding schemes, we believe will drive collaborative and cutting-edge basic research in modern science, which would include; drug discovering, production, bioengineering, forensic sciences, nanoparticles technologies, biophysics, systems physiology and biogenetics.

The ultimate essence of bioresearch and training is the improvement of healthcare. And as such we are confident that the activities of this research complex will result in the improvement of the quality of healthcare provision and the health system nationwide in the short and medium term respectively.

None of these envisaged impacts would have been possible without the generosity of Nathaniel O. Idowu foundation, a major philanthropic organization, which funds projects in several sectors.

I wish to express the thanks of the Federal Government, to the family of the late philanthropist, Chief Nathaniel Olabuye, OFR, the Okanlomo of Ibadan land, for their generosity. This, of course, is not the only project the foundation has financed in collaboration with the University. The foundation has funded the Nathaniel O. Idowu Comprehensive Health Centers, for the last 5 years.

This center has been run in partnership with the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and the University College Ibadan. The centers offer cost-effective primary health care, through three primary health care centers, which are in villages in the Akinyele Local Government of Oyo state. Thus far, 12,000 patient visits have been recorded in the 3 clinics in the 3 years of that partnership.

I also want to thank my dear friend Mr. Yemi Idowu, for his outstanding contribution to healthcare and sports in Nigeria.

As we commend the foundation for this remarkable contribution to healthcare research, it’s also an occasion to call on all public-spirited individuals and groups and philanthropic foundations to partner with governments and public institutions on game-changing projects of this type.

There are significant tax advantages for corporate entities, involved in such collaboration and as we commission and walk through the complex to view the work done and proposed, let us celebrate this and future partnerships.

Thank you very much for your attention.

God bless the University of Ibadan and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.