Profile Info
B.Sc. (UNN, Nigeria), Ph.D. (WITS, South Africa
Biological Sciences
Associate Professor and Country Director, Central and West African Virus Epidemiology
Science and Technology
Biological Sciences
Crop yield losses associated with plant pathogenic diseases complicates already existing food insecurity concerns in Africa. Food shortages in Africa are further compounded by rapid population growth, climate related changes and now the Covid-19 pandemic. My key research focuses on mitigating the yield losses associated with plant pathogens, especially viruses.
Awards & Honours
1. Central and West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE II) Project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) UK, 2020–2021.
2. West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE I) Project . Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (DFID)2015–2019.
3. Staff Hero Award for recognition of Outstanding Research Contribution, The Regal Set: Class of 2018, Covenant University Nigeria, 2018.
4. Award of Excellence, Best Lecturer (Microbiology), Biological Sciences Students Association (BIOSSA), Covenant University Nigeria, 2016.
5. Research Fellowship, Advanced Science Training at the John Innes Centre, United Kingdom. African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)/John Innes Centre, August-October 2016.
6. Honorary membership, five years free membership of the Royal Society of Biology United Kingdom, in recognition of contributions to Agricultural research, 2016-202.
7. Honorary Membership, one-year free membership of the Tropical Agricultural Association United Kingdom, in recognition of contributions to Agricultural research, 2016.
8. AWARD Fellowship, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). 2015 –2017.
9. Post-Doctoral Fellowship, National Research Foundation, South Africa, 2012 – 2013.
10. PhD Research Fellowship, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) under the Gatsby Charitable Foundation UK Project, 2004-2008.
11. Award for Recognition of Outstanding Performance in three consecutive years (2001-2003), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, (IITA) Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. 2003.
12. Meritorious and Outstanding Service Award, Oyo State National Youth Service Corps. 1999.
Teaching Areas
- Virology
- Immunology
- Microbial genetics and Biotechnology
Current Postgraduate Supervision
PhD Supervision
1. Efekemo, Pretty O.
Assessment of the determinants of cassava virus diseases in South West and North Central Nigeria: Interplay between cassava genotypes and whitefly biotypes.
2. Onile-Ere, Olabode A.
Optimization of Cassava mosaic virus diagnostics using next generation sequencing.
3. Onibokun, Adeola E.
Effect of exogenous addition of indigenous fungi phytase on the bioavailability of micronutrients in cowpea-based poultry diet.
4. Oyeleke, Oyewumi O.
Evaluation of respiratory pathogens and microbiome profiling of children with asthma in Nigeria.