John Obafunwa is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

medical expert,

pathologist Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in t ...

, lawyer, author and former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University.

Early life and education

Obafunwa was born in Epe, a local government area in

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 states, it is both the most populous and smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Ben ...

, South-Western

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. He obtained a bachelor's degree in medicine from the

University of Lagos The University of Lagos, popularly known as UNILAG, is a public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria and was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the first generation universities in Nigeria and is ranked among the top universities in th ...

. Prior to obtaining his

post graduate Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and stru ...

certificate from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in 1987, he spent five years of

residency training Residency or postgraduate training is specifically a stage of graduate medical education. It refers to a qualified physician (one who holds the degree of MD, DO, MBBS, MBChB), veterinarian ( DVM or VMD) , dentist ( DDS or DMD) or podiatrist ...

the Department of Morbid Anatomy,

Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is a tertiary hospital established in 1961 and is located in Idi-Araba, Surulere, Lagos State, the administrative division of Nigeria. The teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Lagos Coll ...

. In 1991, he graduated with a Diploma in

medical jurisprudence Medical jurisprudence or legal medicine is the branch of science and medicine involving the study and application of scientific and medical knowledge to legal problems, such as inquests, and in the field of law. As modern medicine is a legal ...

from the

University of Edinburgh Medical School The University of Edinburgh Medical School (also known as Edinburgh Medical School) is the medical school of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and the United Kingdom and part of the University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinar ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

before he became a member of the

Royal College of Pathologists The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) is a professional membership organisation. Its main function is the overseeing of postgraduate training, and its Fellowship Examination (FRCPath) is recognised as the standard assessment of fitness to pr ...

in 1992. He also hold a

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Ch ...

degree after he graduated from Northumbria University in 2004.

Career

Prior to his appointment as the 7th Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Obafunwa has worked and served in several educational and medical organizations including the Forensic Medicine Unit, University of Edinburgh Medical School and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust. He served as Head of Department of the Department of Pathology, Jos University Teaching Hospital,

Plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

before he was appointed as a Professor of

forensic pathology Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem examination is performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases ...

at the Department of Pathology and Anatomy, Lagos State University College of Medicine in 2001. He served as the Provost of Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja Campus from March 2006 to February 2010 before he was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University. He is a fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine and the National Association of Medical Examiners; and also a member of several reputable organizations including the Association of Pathologists of Nigeria, the

Forensic Science Society The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSFS), formerly the Forensic Science Society, is an international professional society based in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1959 and is one of the oldest and largest forensic associations in the ...

, the British Association of Forensic Medicine, British Academy of Forensic Sciences,

American Academy of Forensic Sciences The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) is a society for forensic science professionals, and was founded in 1948. The society is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. The AAFS is a multi-disciplinary professional organization that ...

, World Association of Police Surgeons,

American College of Forensic Examiners American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

and the

College of American Pathologists The College of American Pathologists (CAP) is a member-based physician organization founded in 1946 comprising approximately 18,000 board-certified pathologists. It serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating ...

Publications and research

Obafunwa is a writer and author. He has lectured and published extensively in the fields of forensic pathology and legal medicine. Some of his published books and researches include: * Liposarcoma of the cervix * Gastric carcinoma in Plateau State, Nigeria * Histopathologic study of vesical carcinoma in Plateau State, Nigeria * Medico-legal aspects of deaths from motor boat and water sport injuries * Diving Injuries and Barotrauma In: Forensic Medicine: Clinical and Pathological Aspect

Controversy

Obafunwa came under severe criticism from the executives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and some number of students. On 18 March 2015, it was reported in the media that he was pelted with sachet water by staff during a protest after NASU-LASU accused him of owing them salaries for four months.

References

External links

Official Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obafunwa, John University of Lagos alumni Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Medical School Lagos University Teaching Hospital alumni Alumni of Northumbria University Forensic pathologists Nigerian pathologists Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Academic staff of Lagos State University Vice-Chancellors of Lagos State University