The impact of Nigerians in the US can never be over estimated as they keep soaring higher in their various spheres and fields of their chosen profession.
Reports have recently revealed the ground breaking impact of a Nigerian in the medical profession who had contributed immensely in the fight against the recent deadly Corona Virus pandemic by creating a vaccine.
The news was disclosed by the US embassy in Nigeria who celebrated Onyema Ogbuagbu, a Nigerian-born researcher and medical doctor, for his role in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer and BioNTech a popular drug and medical research company had announced that the first vaccine they developed against COVID-19 could prevent more than 90 percent of people from getting infected.
The vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised. Pfizer was quoted as saying it would be able to supply 50 million doses by the end of 2020, and around 1.3 billion by the end of 2021.
Dr Ogbuagu with numerous years of experience has been the leading medical experts in Pfizer research for a COVID-19 vaccine. The prominent role played by Dr Ogbuagu was vividly emphasized by US embassy who took to their tweeter handle on Monday, to congratulate and celebrate the Nigerian-born doctor for helping “the drug company Pfizer develop the first effective COVID-19 vaccine in the United States”.
“Nigerians contribute to the world in so many ways. Our hats off to Dr. Onyema Ogbuagbu at Yale who helped develop a COVID-19 vaccine,” the tweet reads.
— U.S. Mission Nigeria (@USinNigeria) November 23, 2020
The US embassy, in its recognition of Ogbuagu’s effort, described it as an “incredible contribution to ending this world-wide pandemic”.
A cursory look at the biography of Dr Ogbuagu showed that he was from a very intelligent and educated background. Research revealed that Dr Ogbuagu is one of the twin sons of Chibuzor Ogbuagu, a former vice-chancellor of Abia State University, and Stella Ogbuagu, a professor of sociology who was best graduating student of the 1974 class at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). His twin brother is an engineer.
He studied medicine at the University of Calabar, Cross River state, in 2003. After graduation, he interned at the Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, before proceeding to the US.
Ogbuagu is an associate professor of medicine in the clinician-educator track and director of the HIV clinical trials programme of the Yale AIDS programme at the Yale School of Medicine.
He is Yale principal investigator on multiple investigational therapeutic and preventative clinical trials for COVID-19, including remdesivir (now FDA approved), leronlimab and remdesivir and tocilizumab combination therapy, as well as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine trial.
News like this is always welcomed by Nigerians all over the world because it brings out the fact that it’s not all gloom and doom when Nigeria is being mentioned. It also encourages those who truly believe that Nigeria will one day become a major force to reckon with on a positive note globally despite all the negative publicity and attention it’s attracting at the moment. especially due to the recent protests and leadership deficiencies.
It is indeed a reality that Nigerians are naturally creative, intelligent and blessed with different talents and potentials. It is worth noting that Nigerian scientists and researchers, doctor, medical experts and practitioners in the past fought hard against the deadly Ebola virus and found a cure for it within a short space of time despite the fact that the Ebola disease was already ravaging most African countries until it got to Nigeria.
Gift Joseph Okpakorese
Staff Writer
