ASSAN UI honours oldest Nigerian animal scientist  

The executive council of the Animal Science Student Association of Nigeria (ASSAN), University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, is set for a personality lecture in honour of Professor Gabriel Mojisola Babatunde, the oldest animal scientist in the country.

Themed Animal Science: Prospects and Opportunities, the lecture will hold on September 29, 2014, at first bank building, faculty of agriculture and forestry, University of Ibadan, at 12 noon.

President of ASSAN, Oladokun Samson, explained that the aim of the personality lecture is to create a viable platform for extolling the great works of animal scientists all over the nation and for discussing important issues pertaining to the livestock sector.

“As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron. This lecture will create a viable basis for interaction and networking among leaders in the sector, expose students of Animal Science to professionals in the field, and provide an intellectual platform of self-expression and all-round development outside the confines of the lecture rooms,” he said.

The lecture will be chaired by former deputy governor of Ogun state, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, while president of Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN), Mrs. Mope Omotosho, would be the mother of the day.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, minister of agriculture, and Professor Julius Okojie, executive secretary of the National universities Commission (NUC), are keynote speakers.

Professor Onwuka – a former member of ASSAN, UI, and president of Nigerian Society for Animal Production (NSAP) – is guest speaker.

“The honouree, Professor Babatunde, is an astute academic, sagacious savant, a repertory of great intellectual knowledge and experience.” Oladokun said.

“He is a teacher who believes in the strength of his student to achieve what he or she might have purposed.”

Born on September 14, 1938 at Akinmorin, Afigio local government of Oyo state, his academic qualifications include B. Agric. Second Class Upper division, (London); M.Sc., Ph.D. (Animal Nutrition, Monogastrics) Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (1967).

Also to his credit are numerous diploma and post graduate qualifications, as an IAEA trainee on use of radio isotopes and radiation in animal science and veterinary medicine from Belgrade, Yugoslavia (1970).

He is a recipient of many scholarships and fellowship prizes, which include College Scholar, University College Ibadan (1961-1963); Department of Agriculture Prize, Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship for Higher Studies in Cornell University.

He is a member of many professional bodies, such as American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) since 1974, NSAP, American Society of Animal Science, Agricultural Society of Nigeria, Science Association of Nigeria, and Nigeria Institute of Animal Science.

He was appointed professor of animal nutrition (Monogastrics) in the Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan in the 1976/77 session. He is the first editor-in-chief of the Nigerian Journal of Animal Production, head, department of animal science (1977-1980), dean, faculty of agriculture and forestry (1980-1982), first rector, college of agriculture and natural resources, Bendel State University (1982-1984), first dean and deputy vice-chancellor, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.