Thursday, the 17^th of August, 2023, went down in history as a big day for Professor Mrs. Maureen Isoken Ebomoyi  and for one of Nigeria’s most prestigious citadels of higher learning: The University of Benin in Edo State’s ancient city of Benin as she hosted her 288^th Inaugural lecture in her traditional Inaugural lecture series.

The University of Benin, otherwise known as UNIBEN was founded as an Institute of Technology in the year 1970 then recognized as a proper University thus gaining accreditation as such from the National Universities Commission (NUC) on the 1^st of July, 1971, she was adopted by the Government as a Federal owned University on April the 1^st, 1975; in her culture of holding Inaugural Lectures which are platforms for Professors to share highlights from their many years of Academic/Research activities and future interests with the general public- presented yet another brilliant session. Over the years, this has been a landmark occasion for both the Institution, and the Academic giants that have had the onus and honor of delivering these lectures.

The 288^th Inaugural Lecture in UNIBEN’s Inaugural Lecture Series which doubles as the 6^th yet to be delivered in the sitting VC, Professor L.I. Salami’s tenor saw a Stellar presentation by the brilliant, ebullient and delectable Professor of Endocrine Physiology, Professor Mrs. Maureen Isoken Ebomoyi of the Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences. Hers was a topic that readily caught the eyes, and evoked the interest of all and sundry; HOW WOULD WHAT I TAKE IN AFFECT MY NORMAL BODILY FUNCTIONS? The Endocrine Physiologists View Point.  Professor M.I. Ebomoyi was born on the 16^th of August, 1965 in Benin City, Edo State- Nigeria. She attended Imota Primary School in Benin City where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate in 1976. She also attended the Federal Government Girls’ College, Benin City where she obtained a WASC in 1981. She was thereafter admitted to the University of Ibadan, graduating with in 1986 with a B.Sc (Hons) in Physiology. An M.Sc (Physiology) from the University of Benin in 1988. Ph.D (Physiology), University of Benin in 2002 becoming a Professor of Endocrine Physiology in the year 2012 etc.

In her career as Lecturer, she rose through the ranks to enviable offices as Ag. Deputy VC Administration, University of Benin March 2022 – October 2022. Member, University of Benin Governing Council 2021 till date. Pioneer Dean School of Basic Medical Sciences (SBMS), Edo University, Iyamu 2017 – 2018. Dean, SBMS College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin 2014 – 2016. HOD, Department of Physiology 2009 – 2012. Director/Desk Officer, Sustainable Development Desk Office, University of Benin 2020 – 2023. VC’s representative/Chairman, Appointments and Promotions Committee, Guidance and Counselling Center University of Benin 2016 till date. Chairman, Appeal Sub-Committee of the Appointments and Promotions Board, Senior Staff Non Academic & Junior Staff UNIBEN, 2021 till date. Member, Screening Committee for the appointment of Nominees for Commissioners and Other Political office holders by the Edo state government June 2021, and others too numerous to mentions.

She is also a member of many Associations and Professional bodies, some of which are Prolife Association of Nigeria. Fellow, Institute of Gender Studies. African Academics Network. Physiological Society of Nigeria (PSN). Physiology Society (PhySoc) UK. African Association of Physiological Sciences. Association for Women in Sciences in the Developing World. Nigerian Association of Medical Scientists etcetera. Prof Ebomoyi (Mrs.) has attended over 30 local and international conferences; many with travel Grants, and successfully supervised 5 Ph.D and several M.Sc students. Married to a husband, with children she speaks so fondly of. She paced into the Lecture with such grace and natural air of comfort, explaining that “Physiology; a word of Greek origin meaning the study of nature, is the scientific discipline that deals with the processes or function of living things.” The major goals being (1) to understand and predict the body’s response to stimuli, and (2) to understand how the body maintains conditions within a narrow range of values in the presence of a continually changing environment. Adding that, Human Physiology is the study of these processes in humans; and that it is a Physiologists role to study these processes. She went further to add that an Endocrine Physiologist studies hormones and how they affect the stimuli. In her lecture, she reported findings from her research on Garcinia Kola otherwise known as Bitter Kola; stating that it has effects on gram Positive and gram Negative Bacterium, and on Fungi as well, making it a broad-spectrum antimicrobial/antifungal agent. Further instructing that to harness this effect from the Bitter Kola, it first had to be bleached in an alcohol Based solvent as do the traditional practitioners.

To better understand the reach of the potency of this Kola, she pressed further for a better grasp of the physiological mechanisms underlining its use as a herbal remedy.

Author: Patrick Ugbechie