The Project Manager of the Building an Economically Sustainable and Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2, (BASICS-II) of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Prof. Lateef Sanni, has been awarded the fellowship of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS).
Prof Sanni was among the 10 scientists honored alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, at the induction ceremony of new fellows and presentation of NAS Gold Medal Award held recently in Abuja.
The Nigerian Academy of Science, established in 1977 as a national non-profit, non-partisan and independent scientific organization, pursues development and advancement of science, technology and innovation for the socio-economic development of Nigeria. It currently has 249 Fellows who are elected through a highly competitive process. The Academy is the country representative of International Science Council (ISC), Intern-Academy Partnership for Research (IAP-R), for Science (IAP-S) and for Health (IAP-H).
Prof Sanni, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), is a renowned professor of Food Science and Technology and a recipient of several other national and international awards and research grants. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) and Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria (IMC-Nigeria).
In his reaction, Prof Sanni described the NAS award as a reward for hard work, transparent dealings and knowledge acquisition.
On how the latest achievement will impact on his current role as the Project Manager of the IITA BASICS-II project, Prof Sanni said “it will further strengthen the promotion, declaration and dissemination of scientific breakthrough in seed systems”.
During the award, the Academy charged the new fellows to integrate workshops, networks, public talks and professional visiting exchanges to promote, declare and disseminate scientific knowledge.
Also inducted were: Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemoye, Prof Ibrahim Garba, Prof Grace Olusola Gbotosho, Prof Adenike Temidayo Oladiji and Prof. Obinna Onwujekwe. Others were: Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako, Prof. Babafemi Olapoju Taiwo and Prof. Augustine Anyaegbunam Ubachukwu.
