President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), effective Wednesday, July 24. Professor Obafunwa succeeds Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure concludes on July 23.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu expressed gratitude to Professor Salako for his dedicated service to the nation.

Professor Obafunwa, a renowned expert in Anatomic Pathology and Forensic Pathology, brings extensive experience and qualifications to his new role. He has worked in various countries, including the UK, USA, and Nigeria, and has held numerous leadership positions, such as the former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University.

The President expects Professor Obafunwa to advance NIMR’s mission of leading research into diseases of public health significance in Nigeria. This includes developing structures for disseminating research findings and fostering an environment conducive to health research and training.

Professor Obafunwa earned his medical degree from the University of Lagos in 1980 and specialized in Anatomic Pathology in 1987. He further sub-specialized in Forensic Pathology in Scotland in 1991 and obtained a law degree from England in 2004. He holds memberships in several professional bodies in the UK, USA, and Nigeria.

He has worked in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and the UK before returning to Nigeria in 2004 as a Professor of Forensic Pathology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM). He has also served as the provost of LASUCOM, Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State, and Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University. Prior to his appointment, he was the International Regional Advisor of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Obafunwa has authored numerous scientific publications and contributed chapters to textbooks. His research interests span anatomic and forensic pathology, and he is currently engaged in research in forensic entomology and taphonomy at the University of Nebraska, USA.

President Tinubu anticipates that Professor Obafunwa will leverage his vast experience and qualifications to further NIMR’s goals of conducting vital research on public health issues and enhancing collaboration with federal and state health ministries, as stated in the official statement.