Olaposi Idowu Omotuyi has traveled the world for his education and believes in bringing the knowledge he has acquired back to his homeland. His current focus is on metabolic and infectious diseases with a particular interest in the development of herbal antivirals.
Olaposi Idowu Omotuyi studied biochemistry in Germany and Japan before she
to Nigeria to teach and do research.
Born in the Nigerian state of Ekiti, Omotuyi was interested in science from an early age. One of his neighbors was a professor whose children were studying medical laboratory science. They spoke to Omotuyi about their work and sparked his fascination with how the world works.
“In Africa everything was voodoo until you understood exactly what was going on,” he said. “It was fascinating that someone could sit down and explain to me how cells work, how tissues work, how organs work together to form systems.”
After completing his doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Berlin, Omotuyi applied for a scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2009. As part of the program, scientists from all over the world conduct research in Japan. After several phases of interviews, Omotuyi was one of five applicants selected for a position at Nagasaki University to work toward his second PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
In Japan, in a world-class laboratory and intense scientific environment, he saw a sharp contrast between a developed country and Nigeria. He said he believes some African scientists may be tempted to stay in a country like Japan to do research, while others want to raise the level of science in Africa by returning to their home country. In the end he decided to bring his skills back to Nigeria.
Omotuyi gives E.S. Bogoro, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Trust
Fund, a tour of the Drug Research and Development Institute at Afe Babalola
University.
Science wasn’t the only thing that drew Omotuyi back. For him, it is “an absolute pleasure” to tutor undergraduate students, first at Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo State and now as a professor at the College of Pharmacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti.
“Not only to be able to teach young people that experience, that knowledge, but also to help them grow scientifically,” Omotuyi said. “I’m really impressed with how they’re taking it.”
Few Nigerian scientists are able to translate their research into a product or policy that is then disseminated to a broader population in their country. Omotuyi said he has been fortunate to receive funding from Afe Babalola University’s Fund for Translational Research in his networking and research field, and to draw the attention of other institutions to partnerships and funding. His lab now studies both metabolic diseases and infectious diseases like Ebola and COVID-19, which are drawing government attention and resources.
An herbal drug called Virudin, developed in Omotuyi’s lab to treat COVID-19, is under independent investigation at the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, and another repurposed drug for Lassa virus disease, being developed in collaboration with the National Biotechnology Development Agency in Nigeria is being tested for proof-of-concept clinical trials by the NIMR.
Omotuyi teaches his students the importance of patriotism in their work. In countries like the United States, he sees scientists applying their research to their local environment and local problems, and those local solutions being accepted for international application. But in the end, African scientists do research that benefits other countries instead of their own.
“African scientists who are exceptional at what they do are easily poached,” Omotuyi said.
“The first point of science for me is that (my students) should solve local problems – and innovate at the same time.”
