Professor J.A. Akande - an outstanding Nigerian Wood Scientist, unveils his contributions to knowledge!

Professor J.A. Akande of the Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria presents his Inaugural Lecture titled The Bastion of Green Advocacy: Our forests, Our Welfare on Thursday 22nd March, 2012.The Venue of the lecture is New Lecture Theatre, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria, and the time is 1 P.M. Endeavour to be there!

Professor Akande's Profile

Prof. J.A. Akande is a Professor of Environmental Technology and Forestry, a consultant Environmentalist and Forest Industry Expert. He is the Head of the Department of Crop Production, Soil and Environmental Management of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree (Second Class: Upper Division) from the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1978. He equally bagged his Master of Science degree in Wood Products Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Environmental and Resource Engineering, from the State University of New York, Syracuse, USA, in 1982 and 1988 respectively. The versatile Professor also parades many other certificates in such areas like project management, implementation and control; finance for non-financial managers; timber grading; computer applications; forest products marketing and rural development; and environmental dialogue and public policy.

Professor Akande’s work experience spans across several institutions, states, countries and continents. He was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the State University of New York, Syracuse, USA (1985 – 1987) and a visiting Assistant Instructor to the same University (1987 – 1988). Before his present job at the Bowen University, Professor Akande was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria (March 1994 to February, 1996), where he taught courses in Forest Products and Wood Industry Development. He equally taught at the Centre for Technology and Policy, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Professor Akande was a Visiting Professor and Head of the Department of Forestry (on Sabbatical Leave) at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology, Lae, Morobo Province, Papua New Guinea, from July 2009 to June 2010.

The erudite scholar has won several prizes, scholarships and fellowships in the course of his career. These include: Federal Government of Nigeria Post- Graduate Scholarship Award for his Master’s Degree in Wood Products Engineering (1980 – 1982); Federal Government of Nigeria Post- Graduate Scholarship Award for Doctoral Degree in Environmental & Resource Engineering (1985 – 1986); West Virginia University Faculty Research Award (1989); United States Development Agency (USDA) Forest Products Research Grant (US$100,000) (1990); Appreciation Award for Distinguished Service, College of Engineering and Architecture, Washington State University, Pullman, U.S.A. (1990); World Bank Fellowship to NIRD, India (1992); Science and Technology Agency of Japan Fellowship (1996); African Forestry Research Network Fellowship (2 times recipient)(2003); and Advance Leadership Seminar Fellowship to Haggai Institute, Singapore (2006).

Professor Akande is a seasoned university lecturer and administrator. He has served in several committees at various capacities especially at Bowen University and the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. These include: Ag. Dean, Student Affairs, Bowen University (August 2003 to NOV. 2006); Managing Editor, Bowen Journal of Agriculture (March 2004 to-date); Chairman, Faculty of Agriculture Research and Development Committee (October 2003 – October 2004); Chairman, Agric. Publications Committee, Bowen University (January 2003 to October 2004); Ag. Head of Department, Forestry and Wood Technology, Bowen University (August 2002 to December 2004); Member of University Council, Congregation Representative, Bowen University (January 2003 to-date); Director (Managing), Centre for Resource and Environmental Management (January 1996 to June 2002); University Senate Representative of the College of Environmental Resources Management, UNAAB, Abeokuta (1995), Member, Examination Committee of the University of Agriculture Abeokuta (1994/95); among others.

Professor Akande is listed in MCQUIS WHOsWHO in the WORLD (Year 2000 to-date). He belongs to several reputable professional and learned bodies including New York Academy of Sciences, Science and Technology Agency of Japan, Society of Wood Science and Technology, Forest Products Research Society, and International Society of Tropical Foresters (1990 to-date). He has served as External Examiner for higher degrees in University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Federal University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria, and Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. He has several publications in reputable local and international journals to his credit.
Source: Chima, U.D. (2012). Career Prospects in Forestry and Wildlife Management. Emhai Publishing Company, Port Harcourt, 255pp. ISBN: 978 – 33527 – 09 – 2

Emeritus Professor D.U.U. Okali: A Forest Ecologist Per Excellence

Professor D.U.U. Okali was born in 1936 at Abiriba in Abia State, Nigeria. He is an Emeritus Professor of Forest Ecology at the Department of Forest Resources Management, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and the immediate past President of the Nigerian Academy of Science. He retired from the University of Ibadan in 2001 after 38 years of university teaching, research and administration, having taught, supervised and mentored many Nigerians and non-Nigerians now in prominent positions in national and international service.

Besides contributing to the development of high calibre human resources as above, Professor Okali has helped to advance knowledge in many aspects of tropical forest ecology, principally on tree growth rates and water relations, forest hydrology, rain forest regeneration and applied ecology in agro-forestry. He has been in the forefront of the development of national awareness and action on environmental resources management and conservation. As Chairman of the National Committee of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme in Nigeria from 1978 to 2001, he was instrumental to organizing studies, workshops and state of knowledge publications on the major Nigerian biomes of rain forest, savanna, and wetlands. A comprehensive survey of the biodiversity of rain forest at Omo Biosphere Reserve was also accomplished under his chairmanship of the MAB National Committee. He carried out the forest studies leading to the setting up of the Cross River National Park as a conservation area of international importance being contiguous with the Korup National Park in Cameroun. Studies led by Professor Okali produced a comprehensive inventory of the biodiversity as well as guidelines for the wise use of the resources of the Hadejia Nguru Wetlands, contributing to the selection of that site as the first Ramsar site in Nigeria. His current contribution to environmental management focuses on the topical issue of climate change, in which he is leading project work on building Nigeria’s response to the global problem. The project seeks to identify adaptation options that will enhance the national effort at combating poverty while reducing our contribution to causing the problem and the risks from its impact.

On institutional building, Professor Okali participated in the founding, and has remained a principal driver of the highly effective environmental non-governmental organization, the Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST), and as President of the Nigerian Academy of Science (2006 – 2009), he mobilized the scientific community in the country to interface with government, the public, the private sector and international bodies. He has served and still serves in national and international policy-making bodies such as committees of the Federal Ministries of Environment and Science and Technology, member Advisory Group of UNDP Africa 2000 Network Programme (1989 – 1995), member Expert Panel on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) with regard to Genetic Resources, UN Convention on Biodiversity (1999), and the Board of the African Forest Research Network (AFORNET).

Professor Okali was a Visiting Professor of Agroforestry at Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 1987; Visiting Professor of Tropical Forest Ecology, also at Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, July - December, 1983; Visiting Professor in Ecology, Imo State University, January - June, 1983; and Head, Department of Forest Resources Management, University of Ibadan, 1979 -1982. His other organizational and administrative experiences include among others: Member, Advisory Panel and Steering Committee, NigeriaCAN (2008 to date); Member expert Panel on Climate Change, African Forest Forum (2009 to date); Chairman, Project Steering Committee and Co-Director Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change (BNRCC) Project, funded by CIDA, (2007 to date); Vice-President, Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) (2007 – 2009 ); President, Nigerian Field Society (2005 to 2010); Chairman, Project Management Team, Canada-Nigeria Climate Change Capacity Development Project (2001-2004); Chairman, Steering Committee of Nigeria NGO Consultative Forum (NINCOF) (1995 – 2000); Member Expert List for the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) (1993); Member Board of Directors of Earthcare Africa, Nairobi, Kenya (1993); Member International Advisory Group for the Population Programme of the MacArthur Foundation (1992); Member Focal Point Secretariat for UNCED National Report (1991); Member Editorial Boards of Journal of Tropical Forest Resources, Journal of Tropical Ecology (1985-1992), Forest Ecology & Management (1978-1982), Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, The Nigerian Field, Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences and Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology; Chairman, Management Board of the Zoological Garden, University of Ibadan (1981-1984); and Member, Forestry Commission, Imo State (1978-1980).

His professional affiliations, fellowships and honours include: FAO Fellow, Oxford University, (1966-1968); Member, British Ecological Society (1961 -2000); Member, Ecological Society of Nigeria; Member, Agricultural Society of Nigeria; Member, Nigerian Field Society; Yamani Fellow, University College of North Wales, Bangor, UK, (1988); Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS); Fellow, Forestry Association of Nigeria (FFAN); Fellow, Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS); Member, New York Academy of Sciences; and D.Sc.(Honoris Causa), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (2009).

Professor Okali supervised so many students both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He was equally an external examiner to many universities both within and outside Nigeria; and an assessor for professorship and associate professorship (readership) to so many universities. He has consulted for several reputable organisations including the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), African Academy of Science (AAS), AFORNET, World Bank, UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Foundation, African Forest Forum, and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). He has over 160 high quality publications to his credit. Professor Okali is married with five children.

Source: Chima, U.D. (2012). Career Prospects in Forestry and Wildlife Management. Emhai Publishing Company, Port Harcourt, 255pp. ISBN: 978 – 33527 – 09 – 2