The Acting Head
Department of Biochemistry
University of Calabar
Dear Sir,
Nomination of Professor Patrick Ekong Ebong for Appointment as Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry
Introduction: The Department of Biochemistry, soon after its inception in 1978 was the first Department in the College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar to enroll students for a post graduate programme in 1983. Since then, the Department has anchored and sustained one of the most robust and vibrant graduate programmes, not only in the College but the entire University. With this, it has experienced a phenomenal growth in the quality and number of academic staff and student enrolment. There is hardly any Faculty in the College of Medical Sciences that has not had some of its staff members trained in the Department of Biochemistry.
At the last count, the Department of Biochemistry has on its academic staff list 29 members of staff, including six(6) substantive Professors, four (4) Associate Professors, six(6) Senior Lecturers and 13 intermediate and Junior academic staff members. In the same vein, the Department also witnessed unparalleled growth in the quality and quantity of research output which has today placed the Department at par with its allies nationally. In fact, the years 1999 – 2004 saw the Department ranked the Best Biochemistry Department in Nigeria. There is no gainsaying that this rapid and visible growth is not spontaneous, human elements have engineered, propelled and sustained this quantum of growth and development. Having joined the Department in its infancy in 1981, Professor Patrick Ekong Ebong is one of the very few human elements that served as the fulcrum for this tremendous and remarkable progress.
PROF. PATRICK EKONG EBONG IN BRIEF
Birth, Education and Employment: Born on the 25th day of November, 1945 into the family of late Chief Oton Ekong Ebong in Ikot Okpong Ibesit, Oruk Anam LGA, Akwa Ibom State, he attended the famous Regina Coeli Secondary School, Ikot Abasi LGA. On his meritorous completion, he proceeded to the prestigious Yaba College of technology, Lagos, where his outstanding academic performance earned him a Federal Government of Nigeria Scholarship to study for the M.Sc and PhD degrees in Glasgow, Scotland and Southampton, England, respectively. These programmes he completed and obtained an M.Sc degree in Biochemistry of Reproduction in 1976 and PhD degree in Endocrinology of Reproduction in 1981. His outstanding contributions to knowledge in his research while in Glasgow and Southampton and his deep love in human development sparked off and endeared him to quality research in the academia; as on return to Nigeria, he soon took up an academic job as Research Fellow 11, an equivalent of Lecturer 11 in 1981, in the days when University lecturing was not enviable and considered non-lucrative.
Academic, Research and Professional activities: Dr. Patrick Ebong has served the University of Calabar since 1981 and grew steadily through the ranks to occupy the Professional Chair in Biochemical Endocrinology in 1999. His productivity and success can aptly be measured by the global productivity indices of the University system. Just to mention a few:
- A prolific academic who has published over one hundred and thirty (130) research articles in refereed national and international journals. The global quality impact of his research output is very visible the world over: Scopus point counts 59 and citation 417; Google scholar point count 117 and citation 1,118. Also, he is the author of 3 popular and indispensable texts reference in Biochemistry namely-;
a) Principles and Applications of Biochemical Techniques
b) Concepts in Physical and Analytical Biochemistry
c) Phytomedicine: the Panacea for Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria
- Through the instrumentality of his astute scholarship, he has attracted several competitive research grants to the University from which several graduate students have benefited. Notable amongst these are 10 million research grant awards from RMRDC and 12.1million research grant from STEP-B Project (World Bank Sponsored Project).
- As fallout from these research endowments, he founded/established the Endocrine Research Laboratory in 2004, in the Department of Biochemistry. Those who know will agree that this laboratory is today a reference laboratory.
- Professor Ebong has over the 33years in the service of the University of Calabar, supervised and graduated 25 M.Sc and 23 Ph.D candidates and over 200 B.Sc (Hons) in Biochemistry. It is heart-warming to note that some of his PhD graduates are now professors including my humble self, Associate Professors, Senior lecturers etc with some having made successful careers and excelled in the industries, co-operate and multi-national organizations including UNIDO and the private sector.
- A renowned scholar who is widely travelled. He has presented lead papers in national and international conferences including China, India and the United States of America.
- A visiting scholar and external examiner to several Nigerian Universities too numerous to mention here.
- A Fellow Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Administrative Responsibilities and Community Service activities: Within and outside the University of Calabar, Prof. Ebong has meritoriously served in numerous positions of responsibilities amongst which are:
1. Acting Head, Department of Biochemistry 1998 – 2000
2. Deputy Provost, College of Medical Sciences, 1998 - 2000
University of Calabar, Calabar
3. Head of Department, Biochemistry 2006 - 2008
4. Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences,
University of Calabar, Calabar 2008 – 2010
5. Chairman, Governing Council, The Polytechnic Calabar, Calabar
(now Cross River University of Technology)
6. Member, Governing Council, University of Calabar, Calabar 2005 – 2008
7. Member, Governing Council, Veritas University of Nigeria 2006 – date
8. Chairman, Regina Coeli Old Boys Association, Calabar chapter
9. Resource person, several NUC accreditation panels 2006 – date
Honours, Awards and Scholarships: Amongst several awards, Prof. Ebong has earned:
1. The 2003 Award of Excellence - as an outstanding Alumnus of the Regina Coeli Colleges
2. The 2007 Leadership Distinction Award of the Nigerian Organization of Youth Advancement (NOYA). South- South Zone, Nigeria.
3. Fellow, Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2009
Membership of Learned Societies
1. Member, Institute of Biology, London
2. Member of Biochemical Society of Great Britain.
3. Member of Nutritional Society of Nigeria.
4. Member of Science Association of Nigeria.
5. Member of Physiological Society of Nigeria.
6. Member of Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Nigeria.
7. Member of American Academy of Science.
8. Fellow, Nigerian Society of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (NSBMB).
9. Member of Biochemical Society of Nigeria
10. Member, Society of Experimental Biology of Nigeria.
My Submission/Prayer: That Professor Patrick Ekong Ebong be appointed Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry. The Department of Biochemistry should strongly support this prayer on the grounds that:
1. Professor Patrick Ebong has meritoriously served this Department for over 33 years, and has for these years distinguished himself by his outstanding and sterling contributions in quality and number towards research and human resource development.
2. He possesses remarkable and visible global indices which clearly puts the Department as well as the University on the global research page by a single click of the mouse. This reputation is enviable and highly sought for, the world over.
3. He co-ordinates the Endocrine Research Laboratory founded by him since 2004, the hub of quality research and students’ hands-on experience, in the Department, Faculty and the entire University. Its dream is to become a Centre of Excellence in Endocrine and Phytomedicine Research, hence should not be truncated by disengaging his services.
4. He is the first Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and at least in the first 5% in the entire University to attract National and International Research Grants. His most recent application for the TETfund National Research Fund being currently processed in the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja; and I have no doubts that given his wealth of experience and profile that this will be successful.
5. He still has numerous students under his mentorship/supervision both at graduate and ungraduated levels that are yet to complete their programmes.
6. His academic input both in teaching and research in the Department remains invaluable and in high demand.
Professor Eyong Ubana Eyong