Professor Ekanem Ikpi Braide

By Emmanuel Elebeke

The Nigerian Academy of Science on Thursday inducted its first female president, Professor Ekanem Ikpi Braide.

Braide, who is the 19th President of the Academy, is the Academy’s first female President in 44 years of existence.

Professor Braide, a professor of Parasitology/Epidemiology was a member of the national committee that achieved the laudable feat of guinea worm eradication in Nigeria.

She has a rich professional experience as a researcher and an administrator.

In July 2010, Professor Braide was honoured by the President of Nigeria with the award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) for her contribution to disease control in Nigeria.

She was nominated by the Minister of Health to serve in the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Health Sector Response (MEACoC-HSR).

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She also served as Vice Chancellor, Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) Calabar, Nigeria (2004 to 2009) and as Pioneer Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lafia, Nigeria (2011 to 2016).

She is currently the Pro-Chancellor of Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Nigeria.

She took over from Professor Mosto Onuoha FAS (Professor of pure and applied geophysics), and will lead the Academy, for the next four years, in achieving an improved quality of life for the Nigerian society through the promotion and application of science and technology; as well as strengthen the nation’s ability to deliver the fruits of science to society by the acquisition, growth, and dissemination of sound scientific knowledge and facilitation of its use in the solution of major national problems.

The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) was established in 1977. The Academy is the foremost independent scientific body in Nigeria dedicated to the development and advancement of science, technology, and innovation in Nigeria and brings scientific knowledge to positively guide policies/strategic direction of the country.

In her acceptance speech, Professor Braide promised to build on the achievements of her predecessor and to ensure that NAS attain its potentials.

Vanguard News Nigeria