Three Nigerian scientists win 2017 NLNG $100,000 Science Prize
Angela Onwuzoo
Following their significant contributions to the effective control of malaria in the country, three Nigerian scientists, have emerged joint winners of the 2017 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Science award, worth $100,000.
The Nigeria Prize for Science, sponsored by the Nigeria LNG Limited, is a flagship CSR initiative by the organisation which was inaugurated in 2004 to reinforce commitment to scientific researches, and to celebrate outstanding scientific researches in Nigeria.
Announcing the three winners at a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Nigeria Prize for Science, Prof. Alfred Susu, said the works were recommended based on their significant contributions to malaria control.
Susu said out of the 27 quality entries that the board received, three emerged tops as they were selected based on excellence.
The work “Improving Home and Community Management of Malaria: Providing the Evidence Base” by Ikeoluwapo Ajayi, Ayodele Jegede & Bidemi Yusuf,the chairman of the board said, clearly captured the theme of the 2017 edition of the prize titled, “Innovations in Malaria Control”.
He said Olugbenga Mokuolu’s work “Multifaceted Efforts at Malaria Control in Research: Management of Malaria of Various Grades and Mapping Artemisinin Resistance” was another outstanding one.
While Chukwuma Agubata would also share in the $100,000 prize through his work, “Novel lipid microparticles for effective delivery of Artemether antimalarial drug using a locally-sourced Irvingia fat from nuts of Irvingia gabonensis var excelsa (ogbono)”.
The decision on the winning entries of The Nigeria Prize for Science was reached by a panel of judges, led by Prof. Catherine Falade, a Professor of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, College of Medicine,University of Ibadan,Oyo State.
Susu revealed that this year’s prize was painstaking and difficult as it took long weeks of debates and verifications to get to this point.
He explained:”In spite of this, the board and the panel of judges didn’t lose focus of the ultimate goal of providing Nigerians with solutions that will help us gain a lead in malaria research.
After diligent consideration and critically objective application of the guidelines and criteria, the judges decided that owing to the very high standards set, none of the entries on their own could be adjudged winner.”
He went on: “The judges however acknowledged some entries which they believed had significant contributions to the effective control of malaria and could become better with more work in consonance with the progressive nature of science.
The judges have therefore, recommended that in recognition of the diligence exhibited and as a sign of goodwill to encourage the researchers to take their works further, three works be awarded a joint prize for this year’s The Nigeria Prize for Science.”
The chairman of the advisory board, noted that a total of 27 entries were received for this year’s edition of the prize, which he said, was a remarkable increase from the 15 received for the same theme in 2016 that had no winner.
Commending the panel of judges for their effort,Susu said, “We are particularly pleased that the judges, in evaluating the entries have upheld the objectives of the prize which seeks to identify and promote excellence in utilizing scientific knowledge for the achievement of desired solutions.”
According to him,the journey has by no means been easy.
“A lot of hard work and dedication has gone into the exercise for which we are grateful. We particularly commend Nigeria LNG the sponsors, for their consistency and persistence in the sponsorship of the prize even in the challenging economic and social landscape”,he added.
In his remarks, General Manager,External Relations,Nigeria LNG Limited, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, said the Nigeria Prize for Science had triggered new zeal among Nigerian scientists in as “we have recorded remarkable scientific works”.
He said the Nigeria LNG convened series of engagements towards ensuring a more effective strategy for better impact of the prize and following the engagements the decision was arrived at for the prize to focus on finding solution to an identified common problem.
Eresia-Eke pointed out that the increase in number of entries this year, clearly indicated that Nigerian scientists have heeded the wakeup call to demonstrate their ingenuity in more functional works.
His words: “Impressively, we received 27 research works, representing 80% increase in entries for the competition between 2016 and 2017, the highest number of entries ever for the Science Prize since its inauguration in 2004.”
Consideration scope covered key issues grounded in medical science, its importance to fighting the malaria scourge in Nigeria and potentially addressing problems which impact the very fabric of successful medicare and overall healthcare delivery all the way down to community level.”
