Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), is introducing a reward system to promote healthy competition among faculties and encourage more professors to present their inaugural lectures. The announcement was made by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, during the 42nd Inaugural Lecture held on May 29, 2024, at the University’s Assembly Hall.
The new reward system, to be implemented annually, aims to identify and recognize the faculty with the highest number of inaugural lectures presented. This initiative is intended to motivate lecturers to make their faculties proud and contribute to the academic prestige of the university.
Professor Sa’adatu expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Inaugural Lecture Committee, led by Professor James Jaiyeoba, and assured continued support from the university to uphold this academic tradition. She also congratulated Professor J.P Mairiga from the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences for presenting the 42nd inaugural lecture, making him the 11th lecturer from his faculty to do so.
Professor Mairiga’s lecture, titled “Gene Acetylation Polymorphism (GAP): A Crucial Metric For Unveiling Potential ‘Gene Type’ As ‘Life Gate’ For Enhanced Therapeutic Outcome in Disease Infected Persons,” was highlighted as particularly timely. Professor Sa’adatu urged relevant authorities to consider the lecture’s submissions for potential implementation by the government.
In his lecture, Professor Mairiga, a specialist in Cellular Biology and Molecular Genetics, emphasized the importance of personalized medicine. He pointed out that the current “one-size-fits-all” approach to medication does not effectively prolong life, alleviate suffering, or optimize patients’ chances for a happy and productive life. He advocated for treatment prescriptions that consider individual genetic and metabolic capabilities to avoid trial and error, which can lead to loss of valuable time and severe side effects, especially in resource-limited settings.
The event was attended by several prominent dignitaries, including His Royal Highness, Pastor Samson Gamu Yare, Vice-Chancellors of Federal University Lokoja and Bingham University, Professors Olayemi Akinwumi and Haruna Kuje Ayuba, and the Commandant of the Nasarawa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Dr. Onche Odaudu.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of a plaque of honor and certificate to Professor Mairiga by the Vice-Chancellor, along with the cutting of a birthday cake to celebrate Professor Mairiga’s birthday, which coincided with the lecture date.
Congratulations and Happy Birthday, Professor Mairiga!