Tribute to a Remarkable and Inspirational Leader
Happy Birthday to a wonderful Physician, Researcher and outstanding Administrator, Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako FAS. Here’s wishing you many more happy and impactful years ahead.
Professor Salako belongs to the graduating MBBS Class of 1986 and served as the 10th Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI). I found him to be very approachable, a visionary, and a builder of men and institutions.
During his tenure as Provost, we held the first international conference in Nigeria on Child and Adolescent Mental Health, hosted by the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CCAMH) in 2016. We used the B.O. Osuntokun Lecture Theatre for plenary sessions, the newly constructed vertical extension of the library for multiple breakout sessions, and the foyer for tea breaks. Professor Salako gave us his full support in hosting this conference.
He recognised the importance of research and conferences in ensuring the visibility and ranking of the College. The College Research and Innovation Management Unit (CRIM) was established during his administration. He has always wanted to help and support the growth of individuals and institutions.
In my tenure as Provost, the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, received a Third Generation Oxford Nanopore MKIC Sequencing Machine from the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). This donation, led by Professor Salako, also included a training programme for the team that would use the sequencer. This, amongst other similar gestures, speaks loudly to his commitment to advancing medical research and education in the College.
As Professor Salako celebrates his birthday, he is also concluding his eight-year tenure as Director-General of NIMR today, July 23, 2024. For this reason, we reflect on his remarkable chain of glittering achievements. When he was appointed in 2016, few could have predicted that his appointment was for a mission of destiny reconstruction, infrastructural development, reformation, and global visibility of the Institute as rightly written in this piece by Sunday Saanu. I read the very wonderful piece as I reflected on some of his successes at NIMR.
During his eight-year tenure as Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako achieved remarkable advancements in infrastructural development, academic collaboration, and research capacity. He completed a state-of-the-art administrative building that had been abandoned for years, transforming it into a modern facility praised by international figures like U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. Prof. Salako established vital linkages with universities, enabling NIMR staff to attain academic promotions, including professorships. This initiative not only promoted a conducive environment for academic growth but also led many non-academic staff to pursue and achieve PhDs. His leadership in conducting genetic sequencing of Nigeria's index COVID-19 case, the first in Africa, earned international recognition and significantly boosted NIMR's research profile.
Prof. Salako utilised government and development partner funds effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic to acquire essential research equipment, establish sequencing centres, build and renovate labs, and procure research field vehicles. These efforts enhanced NIMR's research capabilities and response to health outbreaks. He implemented sustainable policies that boosted NIMR's image and capacity, contributing significantly to national development. Under his leadership, NIMR played a crucial role in testing over 60,000 individuals during the pandemic and developed initiatives to enhance community health. Prof. Salako's transformative leadership, financial prudence, and dedication have left an enduring legacy, elevating NIMR's global visibility and impact.
I would like to say that we are truly proud of him, and there are higher heights and deeper seas ahead for him. Amen.
Igba Ọdún, Ọdún kan o.
Olayinka Omigbodun FAS
Professor of Psychiatry and Provost
Profile of Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako FAS
Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako, the last born of 18 children was born on 23rd July 1959 to Alhaji and Alhaja Ibathllahi Lawal Salako of Oke Oyinbo Quarters Ota, Ogun State. He attended Ansar-ud-deen Practicing School Ota, between 1968 and 1973, and Ansar-ud-deen Secondary Modern School Ota, from 1973-1975. He also attended Ansar-ud-deen College Offa from 1975-1979 where he was the Senior Prefect and President Muslim Students’ Society in his final year and graduated in grade 1 with an aggregate 16, the best result in the school that year. He attended the then Kwara State College of Technology Ilorin, for his basic studies from 1979-1981 and graduated from the University of Ibadan with MBBS degree in 1986. Dr Salako did housemanship with the Lagos State Health Management Board between 1986 and 1987 at the Lagos Island General Hospital, Mercy Street Hospital and Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos Island. He served the mandatory one-year NYSC service at the Isiala-ngwa Local Government Area of Imo State and was appointed acting Corpers Liaising Officer during the period.
He joined the University College Hospital, Ibadan in April 1990 for Residency training in the Department of Medicine and obtained the Fellowship of the West African College of Physician within 4 and half years in October 1994. He was subsequently appointed a lecturer and consultant nephrologist in the Department in March 1996 and by this appointment, he became an honorary Consultant Physician & Nephrologist to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria from 1996 to date. He rose through the ranks to become senior lecturer in 1999, Reader in 2003 and Professor in October 2006. Professor Salako also did several management and certificate courses at the prestigious Lagos Business School in 2010 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in September 2014 and the Royal College of Physicians of London in May 2016.
He has won several local and international Fellowships and research grants including the World Heart Federation Fellowship in year 2000, the University of Ibadan Senate research grant, the College of Medicine, the University of Ibadan grant and the Macarthur research grant. He is a Co-Principal Investigator on the National Institute of Health grant on Genetics of Hypertension in Blacks: Recruitment of Hypertension Cases for Genome-Wide Association Studies in collaboration with the Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Loyola University Chicago, USA and also Ibadan site Co-PI on Genetic Influences on Severity of Sickle Cell Anemia in the Yoruba. He is the site principal investigator in the Human Heredity and Health grant on kidney disease research network case-control study in collaboration with the University of Ghana and the University of Michigan, United States. Professor Salako was a Co-Investigator in another NIH grant titled Tailored Hospital-based Risk Reduction to impede vascular events after strokes. He is the Ibadan site Principal Investigator in the “Ethics of Returning Genetic findings to Research Participants: The Kidney Disease Research Network Model”. He is one of the MPIs for the H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Collaborative Centers and also PI of a project titled “An Investigation into the Epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease in Hadejia, Jigawa State, Nigeria”. He is the project Director of the SARMAAN and SIFCoVAN projects.
His community efforts have been rewarded with meritorious awards by several bodies and associations including the Brownite of Honor award by the students of Alexander Brown Hall of the University of Ibadan in 2004. This role of honour parades other distinguished personalities like Prof. Ayodele Falase, former VC UI, Late Prof Babatunde Osotimehin former Minister of Health and Prof. I.F. Adewole former VC UI and former Minister of Health. The “distinguished Professor B L Salako quiz competition which entered its 12th year this year” is a yearly competition organized in his honour by the same group of students since 2013. Other awards include merit award by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Oyo Area Unit in 2004, commitment to medical practice and excellence by the Board and Management of the University College Hospital in 2008 for organizing the first kidney transplantation in UCH, Ibadan, distinguish award of honour and service by the Nigerian Medical Association, Oyo State in 2008, award of excellence by the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria, Oyo State in 2012. Others include appreciation award by the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area for human capital development of the Local Government in 2013, award of excellence by the Awori Natives Coalition in 2014, award as a life member of Excellence by the University of Ibadan Medical Students’ Association in March 2016 to mention a few. He is the Chairman Governing Council of Kings Gate International College, Ibadan, chairman the advisory Board of the Renal Dialysis Center, Lagos for 4years and Chairman Board of Trustee of Excellence and Friends Management Care, Abuja for 4years. He is the former Chairman Board of Management Otunba Tunwase National Paediatric Center, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, former member Board of Management of the University College Hospital Ibadan, and former member Governing Board of Muslim Hospital, Odinjo, Ibadan. He sat in attendance on the Council of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria between 2014-2016.
Professor Salako served as Vice-Chairman of NMA Oyo State Branch between 2000-2002 acting Chairman and later the substantive Chairman between 2002 and 2004. He was a member of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Medical Association between 2002 and 2006. He was a visiting nephrologist at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester University Hospital, United Kingdom in 2007, a visiting Professor at the Department of Public Health Science, Loyola University, Chicago, USA in 2010, visiting Professor at the Nephrology Division of the Medical School, University of Michigan, United State in 2015 and visiting professor 2018 University of Arizona, United States. He was invited by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta USA, as a member of the international expert panel to design a ten-day seminar on the control of chronic disease and cardiovascular disease Epidemiology for sub-Saharan Africa in 2003 and also by the International Society of Hypertension in Blacks as a member of the Scientific Planning Committee for the 2003 international conference in Ghana. In March 2010, Professor Salako was invited by Novartis International as an opinion leader in an international consortium to discuss kidney transplantation in sub-Saharan Africa in Dakar, Senegal.
As a distinguished Professor and Faculty of the University of Ibadan, he has served the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan in several capacities some of which include the Chair of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences sub-committee on UI's 60th anniversary, member of University Committee on UI 65th anniversary, Hall Master Alexander Brown Hall, Assistant Editor-in-Chief African Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital, Ibadan. He is a member of the Senate of the University of Ibadan; he was elected the 10th Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan in 2014 and he is one of the few recognized by the University of Ibadan under the University of Ibadan lifetime achievement awards as a worthy UI ambassador. His grants have attracted over 1.5 million USD to the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and under him NIMR external grants have grown by more than 500%. He is being celebrated today as the outgoing Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, 2016-2024.
Professor Salako is a member of many professional associations including the Nigerian Medical Association, Fellow of the West African College of Physician, Fellow Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh & London United Kingdom, Nigerian Association of Nephrology, Nigerian Society of Hypertension, Fellow of the World Heart Federation, member Global Forum for Health Research, International Society of Nephrology, International Society of hypertension, African Society of Human Genetics and International Society of Hypertension in Blacks. He was appointed the editor of the Tropical Journal of Nephrology, the official journal of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology 2005-2012, Vice-President of the Association in 2012, President-Elect of the association in 2014 and later President of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology in 2016-2018. Professor Salako was appointed as examiner by the West African College of Physicians from 2006 to date. He has also served as external examiner and assessor to the Welcome Trust and several Universities including the University of Ilorin, Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomoso, Lagos State University Lagos, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayero University, Kano, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, the University of Cape town, University of Ghana, South Africa, National Research Foundation, Virginia State University, United States of America and University of Western Cape South Africa. He was Vice President of the Life Resuscitation Society of Nigeria for 4years and the National Convener for the M-PACT project of the West African College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of London between 2013-2016. He is a member representing Nigeria on the General Assembly of the European and Developing Country Clinical Trial Partnership (EDTCP) and also a member of the Board WHO/TDR Joint Coordinating Committee of the TDR. He represented the Disease Endemic Countries on the WHO/TDR Standing Committee and chaired the Disease Endemic Country Committee of the WHO/TDR for 2 years. He is currently a member of the WHO Editorial Board on WHO Framework for Strengthening R&D and Innovation Systems and has served as Temporary Adviser to the WHO on many occasions.
Professor Salako is a clinician of high repute and has been involved in several clinical trials on drug development. He worked with Neimeth Pharmaceuticals International to formulate the drug Miniplus in 2003 following the disappearance of Minizide in the Nigerian market. He wrote the protocol and coordinated the trial of Miniplus all over the country on behalf of Niemeth International. For this effort, he was named Neimeth’s FITGAH Ambassador (an acronym for “Fight the Good Fight Against Hypertension) in 2015. He also conducted clinical trials on drugs marketed by GlaxoSmithKline, Olpharm Pharmaceuticals, May & Baker and Sanofil Synthelabo Nig, Ltd. He served as the Chairman National Health Research Committee and Chairman National COVID-19 Research Coalition for two years. He is a member of the Tetfund Research and Development Standing Committee and the Board of Experts of the CBN Health Sector Research and Development Innovation Scheme.
Professor Salako has made significant contributions to the field of hypertension and kidney disease. He has given over 100 guest lectures/keynote addresses on hypertension, nephrology and medical research. As a trainer, he has trained and supervised with others more than 20 renal Physicians many of who are now Professors of Nephrology. Indeed, he has mentored many young physician researchers across the country and profession/disciplines and has published more than 230 journal articles in both local and international journals with 6,550 citations and an h-index of 42. He has attended several local and international conferences and workshops and is widely travelled. He has written two books one on nephrology for laypersons and the other his autobiography.
He is married to Mrs. Saidat Abiola Abiodun Salako; they are blessed with 3 children, Dr. Ibraheem Abiodun Salako PhD, Dr Hikmat Yetunde Salako- Oguntoyinbo, MD and Engr. Idris Akintunde Salako. He enjoys music, travelling, driving, reading and listening to the Holy Quran.