…ASURI hails research milestone

By Adeola Badru

The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) has elevated five scientists at the Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, to the professorial cadre, in recognition of their contributions to research and the development of knowledge in forestry and related disciplines.

The development followed recommendations made at the 17th meeting of the Professorial Advisory Council (PAC), which were subsequently approved by the Management and Governing Board of the Institute.

Those elevated to the rank of Research Professor are Prof. Ibraheem Oduola Lawal, specialising in Phytomedicine; Prof. Olayiwola Olaleye Ajala, Wood Products Utilisation; and Prof. Funke Grace Adebawo, Wood Preservation.

Two other academics, Assoc. Prof. Olaoluwa Ayodeji Adebayo, specialising in Resource Economics, and Assoc. Prof. Taiye Oluwasola Babatunde, Production Economics, were promoted to the rank of Associate Research Professor.

The promotions have placed the five academics among the senior research scholars expected to provide stronger intellectual leadership and contribute more significantly to the generation of knowledge and practical solutions in their respective fields.

Reacting to the development, the Acting Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, Dr Isola J. O., described the promotions as an important recognition of the depth of research capacity within the institution.

Isola said the elevation of the five academics represented more than career advancement, stressing that attaining the professorial cadre in a research institution carried an obligation to deepen scholarship, mentor younger researchers and contribute solutions to national challenges.

He said, “These promotions are a recognition of sustained dedication to research, teaching, mentorship and service. They also place greater responsibility on the beneficiaries to continue producing research that addresses the needs of the College and the nation.”

The ASURI chairman added that the development demonstrated the importance of creating a system in which researchers could attain the highest academic ranks based on demonstrated competence and contributions to knowledge.

According to him, the recognition would also encourage other research scientists within the institution to remain committed to rigorous scholarship and professional excellence, particularly at a time when Nigeria requires research-driven responses to its development challenges.

Also speaking on the development, the ASURI Secretary, Comrade Omolabake Okon-Akan, congratulated the beneficiaries, describing their elevation as an indication that sustained commitment to academic and research work could yield meaningful recognition.

Okon-Akan said the newly promoted professors and associate professors had a responsibility to use their new positions to strengthen research, support emerging scholars and contribute to the advancement of forestry and allied disciplines.

She noted that the value of the promotions would ultimately be measured not only by the new titles attained by the beneficiaries but also by the quality of research, mentorship and practical interventions that would emerge from their increased responsibilities.

The union’s Public Relations Officer, Comrade A. A. Adewoye, said the promotions had brought fresh attention to the contributions of research scientists whose work often remained outside the public spotlight despite its importance to national development.

Adewoye said the elevation of the academics should encourage younger scientists to remain committed to research and professional excellence, particularly in areas directly connected with Nigeria’s environmental, economic and technological needs.

He said stronger recognition of research scientists would help sustain interest in scientific careers while encouraging experienced academics to transfer knowledge and expertise to younger generations of researchers.

A senior academic at the College, Prof. Lawal Ibraheem Oduola, one of the newly promoted Research Professors, said the elevation came with renewed responsibility to expand research frontiers and ensure that scientific knowledge translated into practical benefits for society.

Lawal, whose specialisation is Phytomedicine, stressed the need for stronger support for research that could provide locally relevant solutions to health, environmental and agricultural challenges.

He said researchers must continue to focus on areas capable of improving the quality of life of Nigerians, adding that the advancement of scientific knowledge would remain critical to the country’s long-term development.

Similarly, Prof. Olayiwola Olaleye Ajala, who was promoted to Research Professor in Wood Products Utilisation, said the development would spur him to pursue further research and contribute to the sustainable utilisation of Nigeria’s forest resources.

Ajala emphasised the need for research institutions to remain central to national efforts to develop local expertise, reduce dependence on imported knowledge and improve the value derived from Nigeria’s natural resources.

He added that research into wood products utilisation could contribute to economic development by improving the efficiency, sustainability and commercial value of forest resources.

For Prof. Funke Grace Adebawo, the third newly promoted Research Professor, the elevation underscored the importance of sustained scholarship and professional commitment in developing solutions to challenges affecting the forestry sector.

The promotions are pursuant to the Professorial Cadre System for Research Scientists provided under the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Establishment Act, 2018, enacted on August 17, 2018.

The legal framework provided the basis for research scientists within the institute to progress through a professorial structure based on academic and research accomplishments, thereby providing a formal pathway for recognition of high-level scientific contributions.

Meanwhile, the development was said to have also renewed attention to the role of research institutions in Nigeria’s development, particularly as the country continues to face environmental, economic, agricultural and technological challenges requiring evidence-based solutions.