Prof. Georgewill Owunari, IgbereTV Educationist of the year 2020, has been elected as the 9th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt on Friday.
Prof. Owunari will replace Prof Stephen Okodudu who has been in acting capacity since June 2020.
Prof. Owunari At Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards 2020
Professor Owunari was born on 15th May, 1965 in Abonnema in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria, with his twin sibling, Hon. Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill JCA.
Prof. Owunari Profile
Prof Owunari attended Bishop Crowder Memorial School, Abonnema between 1970 and 1976 and obtained a credit pass in the First Leaving School Certificate Examination. He then proceeded to the Nyemoni Grammar School also in Abonnema where he obtained his G.C.E “O” Level certificate in 1981 in flying colours.
His quest for higher education, took him to the University of Port Harcourt to study Medicine. In 1987, he graduated with Second Class Honours Upper Division B.Med. Sc. degree in Pharmacology. His diligence and hardworking nature earned him the nickname “Prof” as early as his secondyear of undergraduate study. In 1990, he obtained the MBBS degree of the University of Port Harcourt.
He did his housemanship at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital before proceeding to Edo State for his one year National Youth Service as Medical Officer at the Specialist Hospital, Ossiomo.
In 1993, he commenced residency training as a Registrar in the Department of Internal Medicine, UPTH. In 1994, on the leading of his teacher and mentor, Professor Reginald Nwairegbu Pawa Nwankwoala of blessed memory, he applied and was employed as a Lecturer II in Pharmacology after a successful interview. He rose through the ranks and was promoted to the rank of a Professor of Pharmacology on May, 4, 2010 at age 44.
He also holds the MSc degree in Pharmacology and the MD degree of the University of Port Harcourt. Professor Owunari Georgewill has served the Department of Pharmacology, the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, the College of Health Sciences and the University of Port Harcourt in various capacities:
As examination Officer in the Department of Pharmacology, He supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Department.
He has served as Acting Head of Department, Pharmacology and Associate Dean of Students Affairs, member, Hostel Maintenance Committee, Students welfare committee, medical Officer, Team Uniport, Deputy Team Leader Team Uniport at WAUG in Kumasi, Ghana and Quaquadugo, Burkina Faso. He served as Board Chairman UDPS Governing Board. In all these positions, he discharged his duties creditably.
Professor Owunari Georgewill is a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology London;
Member, International Association of Medical Educators USA;
Member, Society of Peadiatric Oncologist Italy;
Member, American Society of Neurochemistry;
Member of the West African Society of Pharmocology;
Member, Nigerian Medical Association;
Member, Association of Specialist Medical Doctors in Academia;
Member, Indian Society of Pharmacology;
Member, The World Academy of Science;
Member, Research in Medicines Society;
Member, National Cancer Investigation Society UK;
Member, World Health Workers Without Borders;
Member, West African Society of Toxicology;
Fellow, Institute of Industrial Administrators.
He is a friend to the New York Academy of Medicine and the Australian Academy of Science.
Professor Owunari Georgewill has also served his community Abonnema, his State, Rivers State, his Professional Associations, Nigeria Medical Association and the West African Society of Pharmacology in various capacities.
He was appointed Justice of Peace by the Rivers State Government in 2002. He has served as Assistant Secretary General NMA, R/S, Editorial Board member, Journal of the WASP, Secretary, Board of Governors, Comprehensive Secondary School, Abonnema, and Executive
Adviser on Health, AKULGA.
In 2015, he served as Honorable Commissioner in Rivers State Commission of Enquiry.
He is a reviewer of Pharmacology articles for many journals. He is currently a member of the
Editorial Board of the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine.
In 2010, Professor Owunari Georgewill was appointed Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Niger Delta University, where
he served creditably during his tour of duty there. In February, 2012 he was elected, Deputy Provost, College of Health Sciences of
this University.
In 2013, he was voted into the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt as Congregation Represntative where he served in various committes of council including the Finance and General purpose committee F&GPC.
On the National arena, Professor Owunari Georgewill, served as Chairman, Syndicate session on UBE in National Education
Summit, organized by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Abuja in 2008.
He served as member of Technical Committee for the Senate Committee of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Education between 2008 and 2009.
He was a Resource Person at the National Education Conference organized by the Senate Committee on Education in conjunction with SIGNIP promotions in Abuja in March 2010. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Administration of Nigeria.
Professor Owunari Georgewill’s engagement in research activity began in 1987 and has culminated in the writing of a textbook
in Pharmacology: “Reasoning in Drug Biology”, and contribution of Chapters to text books on Pharmacology.
He has over 50 original articles in Peer Reviewed, Local, Regional and Foreign indexed
Journals. He has over 15 abstracts, published in conference proceedings.
His research activities has taken him through the university of Texas in Houston, the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, the Faculty of Medical Sciences University of Newcastle upon Tyne UK, Cancer Research Centre London, German Cancer Research Centre Heidelberg, Germany, School of Tropical Medicine Liverpool, Department of Pharmacology University of Liverpool, New York Academy of Medicine NY, Department of Pharmacology University of Birmingham, Harvard Medical School, Boston amongst others.
He has served as external examiner in MBBS, MSc and PhD examinations In many universities In Nigeria.
Professor Owunari Georgewill is happily married to his lovely wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Udeme O. Georgewill, a lecturer also in the Department of Pharmacology.
STAY WITH IGBERE TV. AFRICA’S NO1 COMMUNITY TV.
