NAPHARM Honours Zulum As Honorary Fellowship, Baale Becomes New leader, 13 Fellows Added

L-R: New President Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy, Pharm (Prof) Lere Baale; Governor of Borno State represented by his Deputy, Umar Usman Kadafur; immediate past President, Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Pharm (Alhaji) Ahmed Yakasai; Pharm (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa, both Foundation Fellows during the 10th anniversary & investiture of Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy held in Lagos.

NAPHARM Honours Zulum As Honorary Fellowship, Baale Becomes New leader, 13 Fellows Added

Prince Julius Adelu­si-Adeluyi, President, Ni­geria Academy of Phar­macy (NAPHARM) has handed over the mantle of lead­ership to Professor Lere Baale as NAPHARM’s new boss during the academy’s 10th-anniversary celebration and induction of 13 new Fellows.

Baale was inaugurated with the new executive committee of the academy under his headship.

The NAPHARM anniversary which took place on Thursday, 19 September, 2024 at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Hall, University of Lagos was attended by stakeholders in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.

The event also witnessed representations from members of other professional bodies, in­cluding the Nigeria Academy of Letters, the Nigeria Society of Engineers, and the Nigerian Bar Association, just to mention a few.

Welcoming guests to the oc­casion on behalf of NAPHARM, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, its outgoing Vice-President, thanked the Borno State Governor, for sending his deputy, despite the fact that the state has been grap­pling with the flooding tragedy that has led to the displacement of families in Maiduguri and environs.

Pharm. Atueyi added that the occasion was a result of many months of serious work by the committee which was saddled with the responsibility of plan­ning for its success right from the beginning of the year.

In his remarks, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, also appreciat­ed the Governor of Borno State for sending his deputy to repre­sent him, adding that Professor Zulum is a pacesetting governor, a man of systems who knows that the invitation from the academy is not just any other invitation.

He added that the NAPHARM Honorary Fellowship Award is highly prestigious and only re­served for high-flying Nigerians who have distinguished them­selves in their chosen fields.

“Despite the flooding crisis, something tells me that going by the governor’s training as an engineer, we shall overcome”, he added.

While congratulating the new fellows on their investiture, Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi said NA­Pharm has been and would con­tinue to be “a thing of beauty and a joy forever” quoting famous British poet, John Keats.

“At 10, NAPharm has gone through a lot of challenges but through resilience, it has over­come”, he added.

Special Guest and Governor of Borno State, Professor Baban­gana Umara Zulum, represent­ed by his deputy, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, was conferred with an honorary fellowship by the academy, in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a public servant.

Speaking on the theme of NAPHARM’s 10th-anniversa­ry celebration – “Healthcare Transformation for National Development”, Zulum outlined the significant contributions of quality healthcare to economic development and urged stake­holders to think out of the box to sustain the momentum of excel­lence in the sector.

“Healthcare is one of the most critical pillars of any society, serving as a foundation for indi­viduals’ well-being and economic growth. When a nation invests in transforming its healthcare sys­tem, it invests in its people and ultimately, its future.

“A robust, accessible, and ef­ficient healthcare system fosters a healthy workforce, enhances productivity, reduces poverty, and contributes to societal sta­bility. This essay explores how healthcare transformation drives national development by exam­ining its impact on economic growth, social equity, human capital development, and tech­nological innovation.

“National development be­comes more inclusive when all citizens can access the necessary healthcare. Healthy citizens are better equipped to participate in the economy, contribute to social and civic life, and break the cycle of poverty. Healthcare transfor­mation promotes social cohe­sion, and stability and shares prosperity by reducing health disparities”, he said.

13 Fellows were inducted into the academy – 4 from 2023 and 9 from 2024. The 2023 Fellows were Pharm. Bunmi Aribeana; Dr Obi Adigwe; Professor Martins Eme­je and Pharm. Earnest Okafor. The 2024 Fellows were Professor Olusola Aremu; Pharm. Rahman Jimoh Bioku; Pharm. Olubuko­la Adewunmi (Bukky George) and Pharm. Adeyinka Adebow­ale Ishola. Others were Pharm. Rametu Momodu; Pharm. Dr Modupe Oyawole; Pharm. Profes­sor Rebecca Soremekun; Pharm. Professor Chinwe Victoria Ukwe; and Pharm. Aliyu Zakari.

The high point of the occasion witnessed the unveiling of the Nigeria Academy of Pharma­cy Innovation Centre (NAPIC) which was done by the Borno State Governor, represented by his deputy, alongside the outgo­ing NAPHARM President and other executive members of the academy.