The Erudite Professor Celestine Onyemobi Elihe Onwuliri is a Nigerian Star.
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“There are born stars and there are stars that are made. Whatever means through which one becomes a star is predicated upon the influence he has and the contribution he has made within and outside his environment whether he be dead or alive”
I know a prudent, agile, punctilious, altruistic, resolute, placid, creative, visionary, spirited philanthropist and celebrated academia. As I alighted the train that took me down memory lane, I discovered a Nigerian star that I know. He is none other thanProfessor Celestine Onyemobi Elihe Onwuliri, butI love to refer to him as Prof. Onwuliri.
Brief Historical Background
On the 17th febuary,1952, the cry of a child added flavor to the existing joy in the family of Mr and Mrs Onwuliri in Mbaise local government area of Imo State. Prof. Onwuliri is married to Prof. (Mrs) Viola Adaku Onwuliri,Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the union is blessed with five children. Prof. Onwuliri’s educational quest saw him attending a Community Secondary school in mbaise LGA where he obtained his WAEC in 1971, he proceeded to University of Nigeria Nsukka where he bagged his B.sc zoology with specialization in parasitology 1975. He became a professor of zoology in the university of Jos in 1991.
RESPONSIBILTIES HELD
He has served in several capacities in the University of Jos as a three times Dean of Natural Science, Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Academic), Acting Vice-Chancellor, a visiting professor to Nasarawa state University Keffi, Federal University of Technology Yola, Director of Academic Planning Imo State University Owerri, former Vice-Chancellor National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), consultant to World Health Organization (WHO), River Blindness Foundation (RBF),Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (NGEP), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), he just completed his tenure as a substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri.
CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE
Prof. Onwuliri is a very active researcher, he has researched in Experimental Parasitology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Parasitic Nematodes; in ecology and Epidemiology of Parasitic Helminthes with emphasis on communicable Diseases such as Dracunculiasis(Guinea Worm Disease),Onchocerciasis(River Blindness disease), Filariasis, Urinary/ intestinal Schistosomiasis and other disease and their impact on the environment in the Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Nigeria.
One of Prof. Onwuliri’s landmark contributions to the world of sciences was his description of a Dichotomous Pathway of energy Metabolism in the effective stages of parasitic Nematodes.
He has published over 200 articles in a high quality Scientific Articles spread in over 52 different peer-reviewed reputable Scientific Journals, nationally and internationally.
Prof. Onwuliri has over thirty-two years of University Teaching and Administrative experience spread over six universities in Nigeria within which period he supervised over 160 research projects at B.Sc and M.Sc. levels and 25 at Ph.D level many of whom are distinguished professors, administrators, politicians, businessmen and women etc.
Furthermore, he is part of the pioneer team that fostered academic excellence at the department of zoology, University of Jos and nurtured to fruition three Postgraduate programmes in the Department namely; Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Applied Hydrobiology and Fisheries and Conservation Biology and Ornithological Studies from where over 600 scientist from within and outside Nigeria has been produced.
AWARDS RECEIVED
Prof. Onwuliri was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Postgraduate Prize of the University of Nigeria for Excellence in Scholarship(the very first person to be honored),Fellow of Nigerian Society For Parasitological (FNSP),Fellow Civilian Institute of Democratic Administration(FCIDA),Fellow, Association of Aquatic Sciences of Nigeria(FAAS), Fellow, Solar Energy Society of Nigeria(FSESN),Distinguished Academic Leadership Award (DALA),A Lion(Alumnus) of High Achievement (ALOHA) and above all, he is a Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS).
In recognition of his enormous contribution to the physical and manpower development of this nation, the world of sciences and the educational sector generally, that I see him the Nigerian star that I know. Hence, Professor C.O.E Onwuliri is the Nigerian star that I Know.
Worthy of note and fortunately too, is the fact that Prof C.O.E Onwuliri rested in the Lord on the 3rd of June 2012 in the ill-fated Dana Air crash in Lagos. Indeed, it’s a year passed we lost this bundle of intellectual excellence, yet he speaks posthumously as a star that I know in Nigeria.
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This I Know a Nigerian Star article was written and submitted by Omede Johnson Aku, a Student of the prestigious University of Jos.
You can reach him on- 07039691586,08093555174
E-mail- juristicwizard@gmail.com
