Meet Our Speakers
Dr. Obinna Ogbonna (PhD)
Dr. Olusola Sotunde is a trained nutrition and dietetic professional. Over the course of her career, she has practiced as a dietitian, nutritionist, lecturer, and researcher in various capacities and specialties. She obtained her M.Sc. Nutrition and Dietetics from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta where she investigated the relationship between maternal health profile and weight gain in pregnancy on the viability of the pregnancy outcome in a referral Obstetrics and Gynecology hospital in Lagos State, Nigeria. She obtained her Ph.D. in Dietetics from North West
Researcher and Clinical Nutritionist.
Dr Ogbonna Obinna Chimela, born over 50yrs ago. He attended the University of Ibadan
B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. Human Nutrition (Special interest Clinical nutrition)
He is a researcher as well and has published some of his research articles in some international journals
Notable among them:
1. Anthropometric based predictive equations for Nigerian women
2. Glycemic index and blood sugar response of clients on the consumption of cassava flakes (Garri)
3. Impact of covid -19 pandemic on the food consumption pattern and coping strategies of urban households in Nigeria.
He is an Associate Lecturer at the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Ibadan.
Dr. Ogbonna Obinna is currently the national President of the Nigeria Union of Allied health Professionals. National Vice chairman Joint health sector unions (JOHESU). National Auditor II, Trade union Congress of Nigeria. (TUC). He is a Deputy Director of Dietetics services at the Obafemi Awolowo University teaching hospital Ile Ife, Osun state. Dr. Ogbonna has presented scientific papers at national and international conferences.
He is happily married to Mrs. Funmilola and the marriage is blessed with wonderful children.
Mercy Sosanya
Mercy Sosanya is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently a recipient of an International Peace Scholarship of the PEO Foundation. She is a Fellow of TechWomen, a program of the US Department of State. She is also an International Fellow of the American Association of University Women. Mercy previously chaired the Nutrition and Dietetics Department of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi in Nigeria.
Her research focuses on investigating the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition and food insecurity, as well as designing culturally appropriate interventions to ameliorate undernutrition in rural communities in Nigeria. Using indigenous foods and resources, she has formulated ready-to-use therapeutic foods and other products, which have been displayed at national educational exhibitions in Nigeria. Mercy has initiated and implemented several initiatives to inspire female involvement in STEM. She has also led community outreaches to improve the nutritional status of women and children in northern Nigeria. She is presently developing a mobile gaming app aimed at improving the infant and young child feeding practices of teenage mothers, and the nutritional status of their children (0 – 2 years) in Nigeria. Mercy is married to Adewole, and they have three daughters, OreOmo, Tobanimi, and EniOlufe.
Prof. Babatunde Oguntona
Babatunde Oguntona was born in Lagos and had his early education there. He attended the University of Ibadan and graduated with a degree in Agricultural Biochemistry and Nutrition in 1970. He continued his education abroad and returned to Nigeria after obtaining M. Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Nutrition from the Universities of London and Nottingham respectively.
On his return, he was recruited as one of the pioneering academic staff of the University of Maiduguri where he contributed immensely to the development of that University in general and the discipline of Nutrition in particular.
When the University of Agriculture was founded in Abeokuta (UNAAB) in 1988, he was appointed the first Professor of that Institution. He has been Head of Department, Dean of College, and Director of Centre respectively at UNAAB since 1990. In 2006 he was made Dean of Faculty of Agriculture and Rural Development (FAMARD) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (Ayetoro Campus).
Prof. Oguntona has trained hundreds of students at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels over the past 36 years. He has published extensively both nationally and internationally. He is a co-author of the report on National Food Consumption and Nutritional Status (2001-2003) and the principal author of Nigerian Food Composition Table (1995). He was a Nutrition consultant for the Federal Ministry of Health for 22 years (1990-2012) and has done consultancy work for several governments ( Ghana, Liberia, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, and Zambia) International Agencies (FAO, WHO, UNICEF, Helen Keller, Micronutrient Initiative (MI) and International Red Cross) as well as other organizations. Over the years he has been the recipient of many distinguished International Awards in Nutrition (e.g. BP Protein, Leverhulme Trust, ACU/Carnagie Corporation).
Tunde Oguntona has been a Professor of Nutrition since 1990 and is a member of many professional and social organizations. He is a past president of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria and a fellow of that society. He is presently the Chair of the Nigeria Beverage Panel.
Now retired, he does consultancy work for Universities, foreign governments, Governments at Federal and State levels as well as International Development Partners. He is married to Professor Clara Raquel Oguntona, and they both have three children and six grandchildren.
