THE PROFILE OF THE PROVOST FEDERAL COLLEGE OF FORESTRY, IBADAN


Dr. Ibraheem Oduola Lawal was born about 5 decades ago, to the family of Alhaji Ganiy Lawal of the Asawo Family Counpound, Idi Arere Area in Ibadan, Oyo State. He attended Islamic Mission School, Bode and Moslem Grammar School Odinjo-Moslem Area, both in Ibadan for his primary and secondary education respectively. He gained admission to the Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan in 1997 for his National Diploma (ND) in Forestry Technology, and graduated in 1999.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
With his passion for education, he proceeded to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) Nigeria for his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Forest Resource Management which he bagged in January, 2004, his mini-thesis was titled: ‘The Extraction of Essential Oils in Pinus carribeae using Hydrodistillation Method’.
During his stint at FUNAAB, Dr Lawal developed very passionate interest in the bio-medicinal aspect of forest resources. So, he sought more knowledge in that area by proceeding to the prestigious University of Ibadan Nigeria, for his Master of Science (M.Sc) in Pharmacognosy, wrote his thesis titled ‘Fractionation and Identification of Compound in Physalis angulata used for the Treatment of Diabetes’ and Graduated November 2011.
Still journeying into the wonders of the natural forests and the unlimited curing powers for mankind therein, Dr Lawal yet secured admission to the University of Fort Hare, South Africa for his Doctor of Philosophy (Phytomedicine/Ethnobotany), Graduated September, 2015 with a dissertation titled ‘Phytochemical, Antibacterial and Pharmacological Investigations of Clausena anisata Hook’. This is one of the medicinal plants used for traditional treatment of tuberculosis in Eastern Cape Town in South Africa.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Dr Lawal began his career as a Researcher at the Sustainable Forest Management Department, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) in October 2007 and has worked tirelessly in various capacities both within and outside the Institute. Some of which include:
• Herbal Medicine Consultant FRIN Consultancy Unit, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan, Nigeria (August, 2011-2013)
• Teaching Assistant at University of Fort Hare (2013- 2014)
• Adjunct Lecturer at Kwara State University, Plant and Environmental Biology Department (July 2015-2018)
• Adjunct Lecturer at Department of Forest Production and Product and African Studies Department, University of Ibadan (2018 till date)
• Principal Research Fellow/ Head, Biomedicinal Research Centre at Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (July 2015 - 2024)
• Provost Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan (September 2024 till date)
A man of many parts, a team player, a sports man and a great socialite, right from his secondary school days.
• Health Prefect, Moslem Grammar School, 1993
• Social Secretary Federal College of Forestry Ibadan Student Union Government, 1998
• Chairman Student Union Government Week Committee FUNAAB, 2002
• Scrabble Player, Represented Oyo State at the National Scrabble Federation, Abuja, 2005
• Social Secretary Omo Aj’orosun Club, 2021
• Public Relations Officer Omo Aj’orosun Club, 2022
• General Secretary Omo Aj’orosun Club, 2023 to Date
• Treasurer Ibadan Recreation Club (Table Tennis Section) 2024
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
He also belongs to several professional bodies, he is a:
● Registered Member, International Society of Tropical Foresters USA Inc.
● Member, ARSO-SON Technical Committee on Standardization of African Medicine
● Life member, Forestry Association of Nigeria (FFAN)
● Member of the Governing Council, Commonwealth Forestry Association, UK
● Member, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
● Member, Society for Medicinal Plants and Economic Developments, in South Africa
● Member, Nigerian Society of Pharmacognosy
● Member, International Society for Ethnopharmacology (ISE)
● Member, Society for Conservation Biology
● Member, Indigenous Plant User Forum (IPUF), South Africa
● Member, International Society of Ethnobiology, USA
● Fellow, International Chartered World Learned Society
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Indigenous Knowledge Systems (Science and Technology), Ethnobotany, Ethnoforestry, Ethnopharmacology, Isolation and Characterization of Medicinal Plants, and Conservation.
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
∙ A total of 75 peer-reviewed journal articles, 3 book chapters, 1published book and 23 conference (national and international) outputs
∙ Citations = 880, H-index = 19 and i10-index =20 based on Google Scholar (accessed 31/08/2022)
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