Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Emmanuel Anayochukwu Esom, has called for urgent and sustained investment in scientific research, warning that Nigeria risks falling behind in healthcare and national development if evidence-based research continues to receive inadequate attention.
Speaking during the University’s 244th Inaugural Lecture held at the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Professor Esom delivered a thought-provoking lecture titled, “The Vault and the Vandals: Keeping Watch against the Inadvertent Breach to Nature’s Best Neural Defence,” where he highlighted the growing threats to brain health and the critical role of neuroscience in addressing them.
The event attracted an array of distinguished academics, policymakers, medical experts, traditional rulers, religious leaders, students and invited guests who gathered to celebrate one of Nigeria’s foremost scholars in Anatomy and Neuroscience.
Among those in attendance were Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, Camillus Ejike Mbaka, Anthony Ikefuna, Frank Akpuaka, Uchenna Nwagha, Peter Odili, who participated virtually, alongside several professors, researchers, clergy and traditional rulers from across the country.
Professor Esom, who currently serves as the National President of the Society of Experimental and Clinical Anatomists of Nigeria and is also a member of the Programme Committee of the International Society for Neurochemistry Congress, Kyoto 2027, explained how the human brain is protected by highly sophisticated biological defence mechanisms.
He, however, warned that environmental pollution, toxic substances, unhealthy lifestyles and several preventable health conditions continue to compromise these natural protective systems, exposing millions to neurological disorders.
According to him, protecting brain health must become a national priority through preventive healthcare, public enlightenment, healthier lifestyles and greater investment in scientific research.
Beyond the scientific discourse, the renowned neuroscientist revealed the deeply personal experience that inspired his career in neuroscience.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the lecture, he recounted how a close relative suffered a devastating spinal cord injury that permanently changed his life and placed enormous emotional and financial strain on the family.
“I wanted to study spinal cord injuries because I had a cousin who suffered one. It was painful to watch a young man become permanently incapacitated while the family struggled with the consequences. That experience pushed me into neuroscience research,” he said.
Professor Esom noted that the painful experience eventually shaped decades of groundbreaking research that established him among Nigeria’s leading experts in Anatomy and Neuroscience.
He also identified mentorship as one of the greatest achievements of his academic career, disclosing that he has supervised and mentored more than 50 researchers in neuroscience, many of whom have become professors and leading academics in universities and research institutions within and outside Nigeria.
“When I ventured into neuroscience, very few people were interested. I deliberately opened the field and encouraged younger scientists to come in. Today, many are doing exceptionally well, and in the next ten years, Nigeria will have neuroscientists who can compete anywhere in the world,” he stated.
The professor expressed optimism that continued mentorship and research development would position Nigeria among countries making significant contributions to global neuroscience.
He also stressed that meaningful national development would remain elusive unless governments and policymakers placed research at the heart of decision-making.
“Research tells us why something failed and how it can be improved. If the government and the organised private sector invest seriously in research, many of the problems confronting our society will gradually disappear,” he said.
Professor Esom therefore urged governments, development partners and the organised private sector to regard scientific research as a strategic investment capable of transforming healthcare, education, technology and national development.
He equally encouraged young researchers and professionals not to be discouraged by challenges.
“See obstacles as challenges, not as difficulties impossible. Once you decide to confront them with determination and perseverance, and with God on your side, success will surely come,” he advised.
The inaugural lecture also provided an opportunity to honour Professor Esom for his outstanding contributions to scholarship, mentorship and institutional development.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka presented him with special recognition for his excellence in teaching, research and academic leadership, while students of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences honoured him for his unwavering commitment to mentorship, students’ welfare and academic excellence.
Staff members from Aninri and Awgu Local Government Areas also presented goodwill awards in recognition of his remarkable contributions to education, science and humanity.
The tributes and honours received prolonged applause from the audience, underscoring the profound respect the distinguished neuroscientist commands among colleagues, students and the wider academic community.
Beyond the ceremonial significance of an inaugural lecture, Professor Esom’s presentation delivered a powerful message on the future of healthcare and national development in Nigeria, insisting that lasting progress would depend on how seriously the country invests in scientific research and innovation today.
