President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), effective July 24, 2024. Professor Obafunwa succeeds Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure ends on July 23, 2024.
Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed the appointment, emphasizing the expectation that Professor Obafunwa’s extensive experience and qualifications will significantly advance NIMR’s objectives. These objectives include spearheading research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria, disseminating research findings, and fostering an environment conducive to health research and training in collaboration with federal and state health ministries.
Professor Obafunwa earned his medical degree from the University of Lagos in 1980 and specialized in Anatomic Pathology by 1987. He further specialized in Forensic Pathology in Scotland in 1991 and obtained a law degree from England in 2004. His career includes positions in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and the UK before he returned to Nigeria in November 2004 to serve as Professor of Forensic Pathology at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM). He later became Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University.
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