It was celebration galore over the weekend in Port Harcourt as Emeritus Professor Simeon Chituru Achinewhu made the 2019 outstanding professors of the year list.
According to the October 2019 edition of the Nigerian Universities personality report and awards, the eleven professors listed came tops in the production of PhD students in key disciplines as well as professors with notable accomplishments and contributions towards national development.
Prof. S. C. Achinewhu is an Emeritus Professor of Food and Nutritional Biochemistry of the Department of Food Science & Technology of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
The report revealed that the Aluu-born academic has published over one hundred and forty (140) articles in journals, proceedings and chapters in books.
It said Prof. Achinewhu has also authored two textbooks: Food Biochemistry and toxic components of food of plant origin.
The report also said Prof. Achinewhu has analyzed over fifty (50) indigenous food stuffs including seeds, nuts and protein quality.
The report stated that the Elder statesman is a distinguished food and nutritional biochemist, a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (FNIFEST), a Fellow Nigeria Institute of Management (FNIM), a Fellow of the Inter-national Institute of Leadership and Governance (INILAG) and a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology. Prof. Achinewhu is a scholar with International recognition having been awarded two prestigious post doctorate fellowships of the Association of commonwealth universities and the Senior Scholar Fulbright Fellowship for which he was visiting Commonwealth Fellow at the University of Leeds and a visiting Fulbright Fellow at the University of Massachusetts.
He was also a visiting Post Doctorate Fellow at the University of Reading. Above all, a one time member of the Governing Board of Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) among others.
Other professors who made the list from other Nigerian universities included Prof. (Pst.) Adekunle A. Alalade of Afe-Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti; Prof. Enyi Patrick Enyi of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo; Prof. (Mrs) Ifeoma Mabel Onyemelukwe of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Prof. Francis Idachaba of the Convenant University; Prof. Agaptus B. C. Orji of University of Abuja and Dr. Michael C. Azuzu of University of Ibadan.
Others were Prof. (Alhaji) Omo-Oba Olasunkanmi Gbadamosi of University of Lagos; Engr. Prof. Buliaminu Kareem of Federal University of Technology, Akure; Prof. Raheem Adebayo Lawal of University of Ilorin and Prof. Christian Ejike Onyenweaku of Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
In the same vein, the Webometrics ranking of Nigerian Universities ranked the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt number 18 out of 40 listed for their outstanding performance, staff qualification and infrastructural development beating other 22 Universities.
Other Nigerian Universities standing is as follows: University of Ibadan; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Covenant University, Ota; Obafemi Awolowa University; Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ilorin; Federal University of Tech. Akure; Adekunle Ajasin University; University of Port Harcourt, Federal University of Tech. Minna; University of Benin; Ladoke Akintola University of Tech; Beyero University Kano.
Others were University of Calabar; Federal University of Tech. Owerri; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Rivers State University, Port Harcourt; University of Jos; Lagos State University; University of Uyo; Olabisi Onabanjo University; University of Agriculture; University of Abuja; University of Maiduguri; Usman Danfodio University and Abubakar Tafawa Belewa University.
Also in the lost were Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti; Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurum; American University of Nigeria; Benue State University; Niger Delta University; African University of Science & Technology, Abuja; Federal University of Oye-Ekiti; Delta State University, Nigeria; Landmark University,, Babcock University, Michael Okpara University of Agric, Umudike and Federal University of Ndufu Alike Ikwo Funai.
