He was a member of the Governing Council of the National Open University of
Nigeria (2009 to 2013). He has served as Editor-In-Chief of the “Journal of Medical Laboratory Science”
(2011 to 2014), NOUN Journal of Health and Behavioral Sciences (2015 to date). He is a reviewer for
“West African Journal of Biological Sciences”, “Bulletin of Medical Laboratory Science”, “Journal of
Medicine in the Tropics” and course material editor to the School of Science and Technology and Faculty
of Health Sciences, NOUN. He is a recipient of the prestigious Nigeria National Honors Award of “Officer
of the Order of the Niger (OON)” in recognition of his invaluable efforts and contributions to the
development of science, technology, education and the human resource in the Federal Republic of Nigeria
(2008); Item Merit Award (IMA), for selfless service and contributions to the development of Item
Community (30th December, 2009); Commonwealth Imperial Peace Ambassador Award, by the Association of
Commonwealth Youth Federation for Peace (2013); Uzuakoli Methodist College Old Association (UMCOBA)
National Merit Award of Distinguished Old Boy (DOB), for Excellence in Professions (2013); Honorary
Membership Award of Member, Methodist Theological Institute Umuahia (MMTIU), in appreciation of
“His Outstanding Contributions Toward Human Capacity Development and Church Growth” (2014).
He is an active member of the Global Environmental Epidemiology Network (GEENET) of the World Health
Organization, where he is playing a major role in advancing teaching and applied research in Environmental
Epidemiology; he is a member of New York Academy of Sciences; a member of Parasitology Society of Japan;
member, European Science Foundation, member, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), member,
African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), member, International Council for Distance Education (ICDE).
Sir, Professor Mba Ogbureke Okoronkwo is a strong Christian, and an astute Methodist.
He is an ordained Elder (2008) and a Knight of John Wesley (KJW) (2009), of the Methodist Church Nigeria.
He has been the Chairman, Chijioke Osogho Memorial Methodist Hospital Management Board, Apuanu Item,
since 2006 and during this period, he has brought his wealth of experience to bear in the development
of policies that have helped the hospital to grow from strength to strength.
He is married with three beautiful children.
PROFILE OF PROFESSOR MBA OGBUREKE OKORONKWO, OON
Mba Ogbureke Okoronkwo, BMLS; M. Sc (Public Health/ Environmental Microbiology); Ph.D (Entomology and Parasitology); FMLSCN; FIMLSN; MGEENET; MJICA; MNYAS.
1. Professor Mba Ogbureke Okoronkwo is the immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor,
Academic, National Open University of Nigeria; he has also served as Ag. Vice Chancellor at
different times between 2009 and 2013. He was appointed the Dean, School of Science and Technology
and later became the founding Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria.
He is a Parasitologist with special interest in Parasite and Microbial Biochemistry, Public Health
and Environmental Parasitology. He holds M. Sc degree in Public Health/ Environmental Microbiology
(1989 to 1991) and Ph. D degree in Entomology and Parasitology, specializing in Environmental
Parasitology (1994 to 1998) from the University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. He studied
Medical Laboratory Science (1974 to 1978) specializing in Clinical Chemistry
(Chemical Pathology), thereby, becoming an Associate member of the Institute of Medical Laboratory
Science of Nigeria (AIMLS) from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. In 1981 he became
a Fellow of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Science of Nigeria (FIMLS), he is also a Fellow of the
Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (FMLSCN), Fellow African Institute for Public Health
Practitioners (FAIPH). He holds Post Doctoral Diploma from the National Medical Postgraduate College and
the West African College of Physicians and Fellowships from Harvard School of Public Health,
Boston Massachusetts, USA, and Brunel University, West London and several other notable institutions
(2010-2014). He was the recipient of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Fellowship Award to
the School of Environmental Biology, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Fuchinobe, Tokyo 229, Japan in 1987.
He has taught Helminthology, Protozoology, Environmental Biology and Epidemiology, Socio-economic aspects
of tropical diseases and supervised several undergraduate and postgraduate research projects in
universities in Nigeria. He is an expert in the didactic, problem based and evidence based curricula.
He is well versed in the use of laboratory analytical techniques such as PCR, HPLC, EIA, AAS, etc.
He has completed several high research funded projects in Malaria, Intestinal Parasites,
haemoparasites, Infantile Diarrhea, Drought and Rural Water Use, Trace Elements and Toxicology.
His research focused on experimental documentation of the public health significance of human and
animal waste utilization in irrigated vegetable and salad crops in Nigeria. He has done a lot of work
in the area of identification and quantification of intestinal helminthic and protozoal parasites
associated with the use of solid and liquid wastes in edible vegetable and salad crop production,
aimed at making those crops safe for human consumption. He continues to do intensive research on malaria,
schistosomiasis, bacterial and chemical water quality analysis for heavy metals and trace elements.
His additional research focus in the new decade is on intestinal parasitic status of irrigated vegetables,
the farmers and consumers; the physico-chemical indicators of irrigation water quality, with particular
interest on issues related to the recovery and enumeration of environmental indicators of pollution such as Ascaris,
Trichuris, Hookworm and Hymenolepis; Coliform organisms; biological oxygen demand (BOD), nitrates,
phosphates, other soluble salts and agents of eutrophication. He participated in the JICA/UNIJOS research
collaboration (1982-1987). Professor Mba O. Okoronkwo is an expert in open distance learning (ODL).
He has undergone series of training and certification as well as training workshops on Open and Distance
Learning (ODL) in Quality Assurance, Open Education Resources and e- Facilitation from NOUN/Commonwealth
of Learning. He served as Chairman, Local Organizing Committee of the Seventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum on
Open and Distance Learning (PCF7) Conference, an international conference organized by the Commonwealth
of Learning (COL) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria and the National Open
University of Nigeria (2013).
Dr.Chinedu
Doctor Chinedu smiles as he makes his rounds. Joking with the hospital staff and patients, he asks after the well-being of the patients, checking pulses and generally being a doctor. He made out time to have a chat about the hospital and the community in general.
Bishop Obioma Eze
Bishop Obioma Eze is from Isuochi Lomara Abia State. He has been in the ministry since 1983, and has been a bishop since 2006.
His first posting as a Bishop was at the Onitsha diocese. He also has experience in teaching, having taught in Methodist Theological school Umuahia, Trinity College Umuahia.
He also served as a Registrar at Christ Church Port-Harcourt college (owned by the Methodist, Presbytrrian, and Anglican church) for 3 years. Has been the Bishop of Item Diocese since 2015, and is happily married.
