Prof. UCHENNA ODOH DELIVERS 192ND UNN’S INAUGURAL LECTURE.

From Chris Ugwuja, Nsukka.

Following the current atmosphere of gloom, doom in Nigeria, as exemplified by the spiraling inflation, collapsing exchange rate in an import dependent economy, worsened by the seeming loss of confidence by most Nigerians in the ability of the State to manage the economy – employment, health, education, etc. it was a bit rejuvenating attending an event which offered a glimmer of hope that a New, Better Nigeria is possible, if the country is refocused in the right direction, instead of doing same thing all the time and expecting a different result.

Prof. Uchenna stated this at the 192nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), she delivered on Thursday, 19 October 2023.

Prof. Uchenna Estella Odoh, a Professor of Pharmacognosy and Environmental Medicine, UNN, was speaking on the Topic, “NATURE’S BIOSYNTHETIC LABORATORY: PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR DIABETES MELLITUS”.

Prof Odoh is a prolific researcher and has published over 13 books, 26 book chapters, over 100 journal articles published in leading journals. She has attended over 27 Workshops, 44 Conferences in Nigeria, USA, China, Germany, Britain, India, France, and earned many research grants and achievements, including several awards to her credit. In her lecture, which was very informative and inspiring, she shone brightly in a Nigerian academic environment bedeviled by the never ending Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU/Federal Government face – offs.

In her lecture, which was a tour on the efficacy of alternative medicine in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, backed by scientific research and evidence, she noted that, “with proper funding of research and production in Nigeria, alternative medicine could play a key role in improving our health sector and also foreign exchange earnings from the export of these health products.

According to her lecture, “it appears that the “Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND)” is playing an important role in research funding of Nigerian institutions of higher learning , but a lot more needs to be done by both the Public and Private Sectors”.

On her specific lecture topic of Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a metabolic disease that affects people of all ages and is characterized by increase in blood sugar (glucose) above the recommended normal level as a result of the body’s inability to produce or utilize insulin, the Lecturer presented some scientific research data which showed the usefulness of alternative medicine in the management of DM. She added that the essential elements of managing diabetes are exercising, losing weight, maintaining it, consuming fewer calories, and eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts rather than junk food. She said that details of her research on some local plants and herbs that could be used for the management and treatment of many diseases including DM is contained in the lecture. She recommended the lecture to all those interested in alternative medicine.