Prof Dennis Edo Agbonlahor: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
Prof Dennis Edo Agbonlahor: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
By EOG
I am propelled to write this essay following the thoughts shared by Prof GRA Okogun last night. The world today is in distress and Humanity has yet again been humbled by the fact that a miniature RNA virus could beat all of the artificial intelligence and human intelligence of the developed nations to disrupt human existence in terms of Health, Economy and shared resources. Unknown to many, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and Professor of microbes had predicted with mathematical accuracy the emergence of COVID19 about 22 years ago in the sleepy academic town of Ekpoma.
The date was April 22, 1998, it promised to be distillery of Scientific insight, seminal luminosity, evidence-based projections and rekindled hope for humanity. The New Lecture Theatre venue was palpably overcharged (with the array of academic giants, political class, students, Royal fathers, Researchers, farmers, policy makers, opinion Leaders and guest). Professor Dennis E. Agbonlahor delivered an
Inaugural Lecture, at Edo State University, Ekpoma, Nigeria (now
Ambrose Alli University). This was following his Research on Lassa
Fever. The title of the lecture was:
"MANKIND exploited, MICROBES revolted and their MAKER intervened".
I wasn't yet enlisted in Medical Laboratory Science Department yet when he delivered this thought- provoking lecture but I attended as a free lance journalist with the now defunct 'Okpebholo voice magazine'.By the time I eventually got enlisted as a student at the University, Professor D.E. Agbonlahor wast theVice Chancellor. It's arguable to aver that this singular epic delivery catapulted Prof to the position of Vice Chancellor albeit shortly.
As a prelude to this lecture, the pathogenic Lassa virus had just been detected by Public Health experts as the etiologic agent ravaging the University
town of Ekpoma, accounting for incremental case fatalities and morbidity dispelling myth of spiritual origin in its wake. Prof was emphatic in his submissions that Health is multifactorial in that the factors which affect Health lies both within (genetic) and externally on the environment. A major segment of the audience gushed when Prof fired-up on the "complex web of interrelationships and interconnections between Man, animals, plants and the environment". He further harped on the delicate balance existing therein and warned that any major disruption to this equilibrium could spark a cascade of emerging pathogens never known to man as this was the fons-et-rigo of Lassa Virus in parts.
It's been two decades since and the world has witnessed emergence of viruses challenging Public Health from 2002 SARS-CoV to 2009 H1N1 influenza through 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and now the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
As a Public Health Scientist, I make bold to posit with scientific imprimatur that 70- 80% of emerging and reemerging diseases highlighted above are of zoonotic origin corroborating Prof assertion of the inextricable nexus between human Health, animal health and the state of ecosystems.
SARS-CoV for example was transmitted from civet cats to humans in China in China in 2002 .
This inaugural lecture which reverberated beyond boundaries remained an intellectual right of passage for all freshers into the Ambrose Alli Medical College way back as photocopies were handed from one generation to another.
Everyone who is truly somewhere in the Scientific Community today would concur that this Lecture is more relevant now than when it was first delivered 22 years ago in the wake of the global Pandemic.
Finally, God is the Maker of both MAN and MICROBES including Coronavirus.
May our Maker intervene as we do our bit to contain the threat.
Thank you Professor Dennis Edokpaigbe Agbonlahor- "the Man who saw tomorrow"
@ EOG is a Public Health Scientist and a former student of Prof Agbonlahor
By EOG
 |
| Prof. Dennis Edokpaigbe Agbonlahor |
The date was April 22, 1998, it promised to be distillery of Scientific insight, seminal luminosity, evidence-based projections and rekindled hope for humanity. The New Lecture Theatre venue was palpably overcharged (with the array of academic giants, political class, students, Royal fathers, Researchers, farmers, policy makers, opinion Leaders and guest). Professor Dennis E. Agbonlahor delivered an
Inaugural Lecture, at Edo State University, Ekpoma, Nigeria (now
Ambrose Alli University). This was following his Research on Lassa
Fever. The title of the lecture was:
"MANKIND exploited, MICROBES revolted and their MAKER intervened".
I wasn't yet enlisted in Medical Laboratory Science Department yet when he delivered this thought- provoking lecture but I attended as a free lance journalist with the now defunct 'Okpebholo voice magazine'.By the time I eventually got enlisted as a student at the University, Professor D.E. Agbonlahor wast theVice Chancellor. It's arguable to aver that this singular epic delivery catapulted Prof to the position of Vice Chancellor albeit shortly.
As a prelude to this lecture, the pathogenic Lassa virus had just been detected by Public Health experts as the etiologic agent ravaging the University
town of Ekpoma, accounting for incremental case fatalities and morbidity dispelling myth of spiritual origin in its wake. Prof was emphatic in his submissions that Health is multifactorial in that the factors which affect Health lies both within (genetic) and externally on the environment. A major segment of the audience gushed when Prof fired-up on the "complex web of interrelationships and interconnections between Man, animals, plants and the environment". He further harped on the delicate balance existing therein and warned that any major disruption to this equilibrium could spark a cascade of emerging pathogens never known to man as this was the fons-et-rigo of Lassa Virus in parts.
It's been two decades since and the world has witnessed emergence of viruses challenging Public Health from 2002 SARS-CoV to 2009 H1N1 influenza through 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and now the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
As a Public Health Scientist, I make bold to posit with scientific imprimatur that 70- 80% of emerging and reemerging diseases highlighted above are of zoonotic origin corroborating Prof assertion of the inextricable nexus between human Health, animal health and the state of ecosystems.
SARS-CoV for example was transmitted from civet cats to humans in China in China in 2002 .
This inaugural lecture which reverberated beyond boundaries remained an intellectual right of passage for all freshers into the Ambrose Alli Medical College way back as photocopies were handed from one generation to another.
Everyone who is truly somewhere in the Scientific Community today would concur that this Lecture is more relevant now than when it was first delivered 22 years ago in the wake of the global Pandemic.
Finally, God is the Maker of both MAN and MICROBES including Coronavirus.
May our Maker intervene as we do our bit to contain the threat.
Thank you Professor Dennis Edokpaigbe Agbonlahor- "the Man who saw tomorrow"
@ EOG is a Public Health Scientist and a former student of Prof Agbonlahor
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