By Ayo Onikoyi

There are not many in the field of ethnobotany and plant taxonomy who have continued to demonstrate unwavering excellence, global relevance, and scholarly impact like Dr. Sharaibi Olubunmi Josephine

A  Lecturer II in the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University (LASU), Dr. Sharaibi has emerged as the recipient of the prestigious Govan Mbeki Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa.

Investigation by this medium revealed that the Govan Mbeki Fellowship is a highly competitive and merit-based research award, administered by the South African Department of Higher Education, and only conferred on exceptional scholars with demonstrable contributions to scientific research.

It was gathered that the award also opens up opportunities for additional seed funding and allows foreign scholars to carry out cutting-edge research under elite academic mentorship.

Dr. Sharaibi’s postdoctoral work will be supervised by the renowned Professor Anthony Jide Afolayan, a globally respected figure in phytomedicine and medicinal plant research.

Her project will delve deeper into ethnobotany, phytomedicine, and plant phylogenomics, further positioning her as a major force in advancing the medicinal use of indigenous plants in Africa and beyond.

“Being selected for the Govan Mbeki Research Fellowship was a pivotal moment in my career,” Dr. Sharaibi shared. “It validated the relevance of indigenous plant research not just in Africa but in global health contexts. My research is deeply rooted in solving local problems with global implications.”

With a research philosophy centered around healing through nature, Dr. Sharaibi said she believes that plants communicate not through words but through purpose.

 “My work has been to help others hear them—through medicine, ecology, and taxonomy,” she explained.

She is particularly focused on discovering, validating, and promoting indigenous remedies that meet World Health Organization (WHO) standards for safety and efficacy.

 “My research on medicinal plants focuses on developing plant-based therapies that could contribute to sustainable healthcare solutions, especially in underserved communities,” she noted.

Her current research includes a comparative phytochemical study of two widely used anti-malarial plants in Nigeria—Azadirachta indica (neem) and Morinda lucida (brimstone tree).

Her findings also revealed not only the rich phytochemical profiles of these plants but also their promising antioxidant properties, potentially validating their therapeutic use against malaria.

A proud alumna of the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos, Dr. Sharaibi earned her B.Sc. (2000) and M.Sc. (2003) in Botany, and completed her Ph.D. in Botany/Ethnobotany in 2015, respectively. Over the years, she has carved a niche for herself in plant taxonomy, conservation, and phytomedicine, often conducting fieldwork in diverse ecosystems to document plant diversity and traditional knowledge.

A respected educator, she teaches various undergraduate and postgraduate courses in LASU’s Department of Botany, ranging from Plant Forms and Functions to Palynology and Medicinal Plants. She also serves as a Part-Time Lecturer at the Pan African University of Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI), University of Ibadan, where she teaches on herbal drug development.

Her academic excellence has earned her several prestigious international recognitions, including multiple travel grants to present her research at global conferences in the United States and beyond. Notably, the Govan Mbeki Research Fellowship includes the opportunity to apply for a Research Seed Grant. During her time in South Africa, Dr. Sharaibi is also slated to participate in several advanced workshops on DNA barcoding and phytomedicine.

Her work as a plant taxonomist has also had practical implications in conservation. “I apply molecular and morphological techniques to classify plant species, especially those at risk of extinction. Through this, I contribute to habitat restoration and the creation of ex-situ conservation programs,” she explained.

She is an active member of several international scientific bodies, including the Botanical Society of America, Society of Economic Botany, South African Association of Botanists, Society for Medicinal Plants for Economic Development, and the Organization of Women in Science for the Developing World, among others.

Looking ahead, Dr. Sharaibi plans to intensify her work on plant-based drug development and scale up her advocacy for natural remedies within Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.

“There is still so much untapped knowledge in our forests, and my job is to ensure that this knowledge becomes part of our national health innovation framework,” she emphasized.