KEY POINTS
- Prof Babatunde Benard, the first African to be so honoured in the field of Radioecology by the IAEA.
- Managed a pioneering pollution monitoring project along Nigerian coast line of 853km in length.
- He has provided nuclear environmental research training for more than 80 scientists from Africa.
The Senior Special Assistant to George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babatunde Benard has been awarded the first Africa’s Professor of Radioecology by International Atomic Energy Agency.
This milestone signifies Babatunde’s contribution towards the field of nuclear science and environmental protection in Africa.
The life of Prof. Babatunde Benard in radioecology
He has a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Ecology from the University of Ibadan, a PhD in Radiometric Assessment from the University of Port Harcourt and Lancaster University. This academic journey led to Babatunde’s pioneering radioecology work especially through a project which he conducted in 2008.
Sponsored by the IAEA, this project highlighted the establishment of Africa’s first radioecology laboratory, nuclear-based approaches to assess pollution along the 853 km Nigerian coast. It became the foremost centre for deep-sea pollution analysis with modern facilities like alpha spectrometers and sediment corers and was used in upgrading Nigeria’s marine risk assessment.
Babatunde was not only engaged in research, he also contributed, directly and indirectly, to the training of more than 80 young African scientists in the assessment of nuclear pollution, radiochemistry and dating of sediments which are vital tools in radioecology.
Innovative contributions and the impact on the entire world
Prof. Babatunde is not only confined to Nigeria; he has made a big imprint in the country. He has been an invited guest by the IAEA to lecture around the world and speak about his leadership including how to improve nuclear pollution.
According to Vanguard, His contributions have also contributed to enhanced understanding of marine pollution control, climate change, and ocean acidification making him among the most prominent in environmental science.
Awards and achievements of Professor Babatunde include being a Google Scholar-rated scientist, a two times fellow of the International Foundation for Science, and having published over ninety papers in high impact journals. He goes on to set a foundation for safer environmental practices and in the field of nuclear science and redefines hope for the young African scientist.
For his achievements, Kofi Annan, Director of Exart Consults Limited, also congratulated Babatunde and revealed that the recognition was deserved. Also affectionately called “Professor Triple B,” Babatunde’s work radioecology has spread to many parts of the world and is the epitome of a lifetime achievement in the field of environmental sciences.
