News

Pen Resource University Appoints Pioneer VC,Prof Igoli

Published

2 years ago

July 23, 2022

Professor Igoli

By: Umar Umar, Gombe

Gombe’s maiden private University, Pen Resource, recently announced the appointment of Professor Ogbaji Igoli, as its founding Vice-Chancellor. But little is known about the UK based Professor of Chemistry, hence the reason Nigeriantracker.com profiled the icon for the limelight of the public.

In a statement signed by Dr Sani Jauro, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, announced the appointment.

Igoli studied Chemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka finishing as the best graduating student in his class of 1985. He obtained an MSc in Organic Chemistry, specializing in natural products in 2003, winning the Vice Chancellor’s prize for the best PhD thesis in his Faculty. He had a six-year post-doctoral training at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow where he learnt spectroscopy and structure elucidation of organic compounds.

United States Foundation Donates Medical Equipments To FMC Gusau

He had a six-year postdoctoral training at the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, UK where he learnt spectroscopy and structure elucidation of organic compounds. Until his appointment, he was the Director of the Specialized Equipment Centre, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (Formerly Federal University of Agriculture), Makurdi. His expertise is in the area of phytochemistry, ethnobotany and natural products isolation from plants, propolis and microbial sources. He is also involved in bioactivity studies against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis. He has over 150 publications centred on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and structural elucidation of novel bioactive compounds. He is avidly involved in training and mentoring young scientists in phytochemical studies, the spectroscopic identification of compounds and the evaluation of plants used in traditional medicine. He has obtained fellowships, research and travel grants from DAAD/OPCW, IFS, NHS, RSC, CRUK, IFAH, CADFP and the Wellcome Trust. Presently, he is an Honorary Research Fellow with the University of Glasgow, UK. He is currently the editor of two special journal editions of Frontiers in Pharmacology and an Associate editor for Heliyon. He is a member of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s expert committee on the evaluation and registration of herbal remedies against Covid-19. His publications are well cited with a ResearchGate Score of 32.15 and on Google Scholar with a h-index of 21 and i10-index of 43. He is listed among the Top 500 authors, by Scholarly Output in Nigeria over the period 2018 to 2021 by SciVal. The appointed Vice Chancellor’s wealth of experience in research and administration coupled with his extensive international collaborations will set the tone and put the baby Pen Resource University, Gombe on an enviable path of research and academic excellence to achieve the aims and objectives of setting up the University. The University will further set up the Centre for African Plant Research (CAPRE) under his leadership, which is aimed at the production of drugs from our local resources. The appointment has since taken effect.

News

NNPC Ltd Clarifies Lagos Depot Fire Incident

Published

39 mins ago

May 19, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) wishes to clarify that the fire incident at a tank farm in Marine Beach, Apapa, Lagos, was at a depot belonging to HOGL Energy Ltd (Honeywell Depot), and not an NNPC Retail Ltd.’s facility as circulated by early responders.

The fire, which has since been extinguished, was as a result of petroleum products spillage within the perimeter of the tank farm.

Meanwhile, NNPC Ltd and other depots in the area have resumed loading activities.
NNPC assures that the incident will, in no way, affect petroleum products supply and distribution across the country.

This was contained in a statement signed by Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPC Ltd Olufemi O Soneye in
Abuja

News

Frontfoot Media to host its 5th Media Audit Reporting workshop in Gombe

Published

24 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By Asile Abel,Jos

FrontFoot Media Initiative has concluded plans to hold the fifth edition of its Audit Reporting Training programme for journalists to be hosted in Gombe State.

Statement by the Front Foot Media Initiative Training Coordinator Mr Chido Nwakanma said previous trainings were held in Benin, Awka, Abuja, and Lagos state.

He added that, FrontFoot Media Initiative will hold the training under the auspices of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and the sponsorship of the MacArthur Foundation.

Mr Emeka Izeze, a director of FrontFoot Media, said “The Gombe programme will feature participants not only from Gombe but also from the neighbouring states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, and Taraba, a testament to the inclusivity and reach of Front Foot’s training initiatives. We look forward to training about 40 media personnel, each of whom plays a crucial role in our media landscape.”

Adding to the statement, Gombe State Governor, Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya would address participants in line with his agenda of openness and accountability.

Frontfoot Media Initiative also announced that Mr Ismaila Zakari, a past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Internal Auditor of Premium Pensions Abuja, and an ICAN Fellow, will lead the training supported by Mr Yusuf Doma, a Fellow of ICAN and Internal Auditor at Premium Pensions Abuja. Their expertise and guidance will ensure a high-quality learning experience for all participants.

The media and capacity building NGO described the programme as “a flagship capacity development programme of FrontFoot Media Initiative. It is a Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability project.

“In this effort, FrontFoot teams, accompanied by experts in the field, work in pre-selected states where they conduct free training for journalists. Participants learn how and where to locate the relevant reports, interpret the material, and write engaging news stories and features that enlighten, stimulate, and empower the electorate, and discourage impunity.” the statement added.

News

Babangida’s Military Contemporary, Lt. General Garba Duba, Passes On at 82

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

A military contemporary of Nigeria’s former military President, Lieutenant General Garba Duba, has died.

General Garba Duba died at the age of 82. A native of Kontagora, Niger State, Duba held several positions during his military career, including serving as Governor of Bauchi State in 1978 and as Governor of Sokoto State during Buhari’s regime.

An impeccable source told NIGERIAN TRACKER that the funeral prayer for the late Duba was held today, Friday, after Jumuat prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja.

Governor Muhammad Umar Bago of Niger State and legislators from the state attended the funeral prayer.

He joined the army as a Cadet Officer at the Nigerian Military Training College Zaria in 1962, presumably a course mate of Ibrahim Babangida. At the beginning of his career, he was at the Indian Military Academy. Duba was one of the northern officers who participated in the Nigerian counter-coup of 1966 which led to the death of General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. During the Nigeria Civil War, he was a Captain, commanding a squadron of armored vehicles. As military governor of Bauchi state, he provided infrastructure in the form of residential accommodation and offices, including secretariats for the newly-created 16 local government areas.

In 1993, he retired from the military and went into private businesses where he held positions like chairman, New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC), chairman of SGI Nigeria Limited, director in First Bank of Nigeria, non-executive director of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc and chairman of the board of Leadway pension fund.