Gureje, Farombi, others make list of top world scientists

United States-based Stanford University has released a list that represents the top 2% of the most-cited scientists in various disciplines in the world. The exhaustive list has 159,683 persons.

Out of these whole list, 41 eminent Nigerian scientists are on the global map of researchers spread across different universities in the country. A focus on the University of Ibadan shows that eight distinguished scholars from various specialties were on the list.

Specifically, Professor Oye Gureje, a renowned Professor of Psychiatry, ranked as the best in Nigeria and top one per cent in the world. Professor Ebenezer Olatunde Farombi, a distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Toxicology at the University of Ibadan, is also on top of the list. Of the top 45,124 Toxicologists in the world, Professor Farombi ranks top one per cent in Toxicology in the world and number 1 in Nigeria.

In his congratulatory message to Professor Farombi, the President of the Nigeria Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NSBMB), Professor Wole Sodipo, said: “We congratulate our erudite Professor Farombi on this spectacular achievement and thank him profoundly for lifting NSBMB to enviable heights.”

In his own congratulatory message to Professor Farombi, the CEO and Director of a scientific organisation, Recent Advances in Biotechnology (RAIB), Dr. Charles, described Professor Farombi who was a recipient of RAIB 2020 Award of Excellence as “a distinguished professor of global relevance and a blessing to our generation.”

Others on the global list include the late Professor B.O. Osuntokun (Tropical Medicine), late Professor Lateef Salako (Tropical Medicine), Professor Akin Sowunmi (Tropical Medicine), Professor S.A Odunfa (Biotechnology), Professor Iruka Okeke (Microbiology) and Professor O. Ekundayo (Medicinal Chemistry).