EXCLUSIVE: OAU anti-cancer inventor decries poor funding of research in Nigeria.
Alfred Olufemi
Joseph Aladesanmi, a Professor of pharmacognosy in Obafemi Awolowo University who invented an anti-cancer drug, has lamented about the poor funding of research and attention given to education in Nigeria.
OAU KILONSHELE gathered that about 5 months ago, Mr. Aladesanmi received the patent for 'acuminatoside', a new anticancer compound against prostate, breast, cervical, and pancreatic cancers.
The patent was provided by the federal ministry of science and technology through the Obafemi Awolowo University branch of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO).
The drug is yet to undergo clinical trials. It will undergo the trials and, if successful, processed into tablets before it is presented to the National Agency For Drugs And Foods Administration (NAFDAC) for approval, the don said.
In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the old Professor narrated how he funds researches with his personal money since he started his career as a scientist.
"So many of my master students, I'm the one funding their researches and experiments. I've been dedicated to academics since 1982."
According to him, when the patent of the invention was issued, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, in his congratulatory message, promised to reimburse the scientist, knowing fully well that he shouldered all the expenses.
"When the patent was issued, I was summoned by the university, they promised to publicise and do the presentation in the presence of the Principal officers of the university.The VC promised that I should be reimbursed. After all, I will use the funds to buy materials for other researches."
"Three months ago, I was contacted to do the financial implications and send to the Centre for research, which I did on the 10th of July but has not gotten any response."
Meanwhile, this news outfit learnt that Mr. Aladesanmi officially retired on the 23rd of May 2018 but has not been paid for the contract service rendered for almost 3 months as promised by the Vice-Chancellor of the school.
"The Vice-Chancellor told me that I cannot leave office because of my contributions. I was given a peanut in May when I retired. I was given 53 thousand naira. Up till now, I've not been paid any dime since then. How will I eat and survive?" He asked rhetorically.
When speaking on how he was able to raise about a million naira to fund his invention, Mr. Aladesanmi stated that during vacations, he travels abroad to conduct analysis based on the samples of his experiments in Nigeria and he gets paid for the analysis afterwards
"It's when I go overseas to analyze some of the samples that I make money to survive." He said
Meanwhile, the Professor commented about the poor attention given to education and, the slow and unyielding response to several applications for funding of his researches.
"I was told to apply for Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) but was later
informed that my research can only be sponsored if government runs adverts. That adverts come only once in year if the government has not siphoned the funds meant for it."
As disclosed in a document made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the cost of his proposal for a research on an anti-malaria compound, cost Two million Naira and has not been approved by the government.
"Nigeria is the US of Africa but the ways smaller countries like Botswana fund research are better than Nigeria. If I take this idea abroad, it will be stolen." He explained.
It should be recalled that PREMIUM TIMES reported the call of the minister for interior on the Federal government to fund researchers and scientists in Nigeria.
Nigeria's problem on Intellectual property is beyond funding, IPTTO Director says.
The Director of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) in Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Matthew Ilori, has made it known that the problems facing Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria are more than the funding.
Mr. Ilori, who spoke to OAU KILONSHELE through his spokesperson, Mr. Gbenga Adewinle, noted that separating the financial constraints from the problems is like plucking a leaf from the tree.
"If we are talking about finding alone, what happens to ownership, commercialization, promotion."
He then emphasized that the first thing is that the IP portfolios should be robust and the implementation of the existing laws on IP should be well implemented.
"As it stands we do not have IP policies as a nation. There are IP laws but they lack implementation."
"The IP talks about the owner of the patent. Is it the government's, inventor's, the university's or is it shared?"
The Director then condemned the funding of
Professor Aladesanmi's invention with his personal money and tasked the government to rise up to its responsibilities.
"He used his money to patent his intention which ought not to be so."
Also, he stressed that there should be monitoring unit that's will see to the allocation funds disbursed by the Federal government, describing it as a nationwide challenge and not only in the universities.
"So many countries have gone far in this aspect whereas, we are yet to start in Nigeria. If our government can be so conscious of IP it will be better."
Joseph Aladesanmi, a Professor of pharmacognosy in Obafemi Awolowo University who invented an anti-cancer drug, has lamented about the poor funding of research and attention given to education in Nigeria.
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| Professor Joseph Aladesanmi in his office in Ile-Ife |
OAU KILONSHELE gathered that about 5 months ago, Mr. Aladesanmi received the patent for 'acuminatoside', a new anticancer compound against prostate, breast, cervical, and pancreatic cancers.
The patent was provided by the federal ministry of science and technology through the Obafemi Awolowo University branch of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO).
The drug is yet to undergo clinical trials. It will undergo the trials and, if successful, processed into tablets before it is presented to the National Agency For Drugs And Foods Administration (NAFDAC) for approval, the don said.
In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the old Professor narrated how he funds researches with his personal money since he started his career as a scientist.
"So many of my master students, I'm the one funding their researches and experiments. I've been dedicated to academics since 1982."
According to him, when the patent of the invention was issued, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, in his congratulatory message, promised to reimburse the scientist, knowing fully well that he shouldered all the expenses.
"When the patent was issued, I was summoned by the university, they promised to publicise and do the presentation in the presence of the Principal officers of the university.The VC promised that I should be reimbursed. After all, I will use the funds to buy materials for other researches."
"Three months ago, I was contacted to do the financial implications and send to the Centre for research, which I did on the 10th of July but has not gotten any response."
Meanwhile, this news outfit learnt that Mr. Aladesanmi officially retired on the 23rd of May 2018 but has not been paid for the contract service rendered for almost 3 months as promised by the Vice-Chancellor of the school.
"The Vice-Chancellor told me that I cannot leave office because of my contributions. I was given a peanut in May when I retired. I was given 53 thousand naira. Up till now, I've not been paid any dime since then. How will I eat and survive?" He asked rhetorically.
When speaking on how he was able to raise about a million naira to fund his invention, Mr. Aladesanmi stated that during vacations, he travels abroad to conduct analysis based on the samples of his experiments in Nigeria and he gets paid for the analysis afterwards
"It's when I go overseas to analyze some of the samples that I make money to survive." He said
Meanwhile, the Professor commented about the poor attention given to education and, the slow and unyielding response to several applications for funding of his researches.
"I was told to apply for Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) but was later
informed that my research can only be sponsored if government runs adverts. That adverts come only once in year if the government has not siphoned the funds meant for it."
As disclosed in a document made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the cost of his proposal for a research on an anti-malaria compound, cost Two million Naira and has not been approved by the government.
"Nigeria is the US of Africa but the ways smaller countries like Botswana fund research are better than Nigeria. If I take this idea abroad, it will be stolen." He explained.
It should be recalled that PREMIUM TIMES reported the call of the minister for interior on the Federal government to fund researchers and scientists in Nigeria.
Nigeria's problem on Intellectual property is beyond funding, IPTTO Director says.
The Director of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) in Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Matthew Ilori, has made it known that the problems facing Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria are more than the funding.
Mr. Ilori, who spoke to OAU KILONSHELE through his spokesperson, Mr. Gbenga Adewinle, noted that separating the financial constraints from the problems is like plucking a leaf from the tree.
"If we are talking about finding alone, what happens to ownership, commercialization, promotion."
He then emphasized that the first thing is that the IP portfolios should be robust and the implementation of the existing laws on IP should be well implemented.
"As it stands we do not have IP policies as a nation. There are IP laws but they lack implementation."
"The IP talks about the owner of the patent. Is it the government's, inventor's, the university's or is it shared?"
The Director then condemned the funding of
Professor Aladesanmi's invention with his personal money and tasked the government to rise up to its responsibilities.
"He used his money to patent his intention which ought not to be so."
Also, he stressed that there should be monitoring unit that's will see to the allocation funds disbursed by the Federal government, describing it as a nationwide challenge and not only in the universities.
"So many countries have gone far in this aspect whereas, we are yet to start in Nigeria. If our government can be so conscious of IP it will be better."
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