| Professor (Mrs.) Cecilia Ihuoma Igwilo of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Director, Academic Planning Unit will deliver the 1st Inaugural Lecture of the University in the 2011/2012 Academic Session on Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
The lecture, which will hold in the Main Auditorium, Akoka at 4.00 pm is entitled: The Journey of Pharmaceutical Formulations in Nigeria. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe will preside over the lecture.
Members of the University Community and the public are cordially invited.
Born on January 23, 1953, Profesor (Mrs.) Cecilia Ihuoma Igwilo obtained her First School Leaving Certificate with distinction from Old Court Primary School, Aba in 1964 and West African School Certificate Grade I with distinction from Girls Secondary School, Owerri in 1971. In 1973, she proceeded to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) where she obtained the Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree (First Class Honour, 1977) and Masters Degree (1979). She earned her Doctoral Degree in Pharmacy in 1983 from Chelsea College, University of London.
Professor Igwilo’s teaching career can be traced to the University of Ife where she worked as a Graduate Assistant (September 1977) and later, Assistant Lecturer in 1979. She was a Demonstrator at Chelsea College, University of London in 1982 and Assistant Professor at Talladega College, Alabama, U.S.A from 1983 to December 1984. She moved back to Nigeria in 1985 as Lecturer Grade I in the Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ife.
The renowned Professor of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology joined the services of the University of Lagos as Lecturer I in 1987. She rose through the ranks to become Senior Lecturer in October, 1989 and Professor on April 12, 1996 with nominal effect from October 1, 1994, thereby making her the first female Professor in Pharmacy in Nigeria and entire West African Sub-Region.
Professor Igwilo has served the University meritoriously as Chairman, Senate Library Committee as well as member of several Boards and Committees including Board of Studies, School of Postgraduate Studies; Medical Centre Management Board; Drug Tenders Board; Central Research Committee among others. She was the Acting Head/Head, Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology (1993 to 1999) and Dean, School of Pharmacy (2001 to 2003). The University of Lagos Governing Council approved the full fledged Faculty status for the School during her tenure in July, 2003.
Outside the University, the don has served on various national and international Committees including the Working Group on the Standard of Cosmetic Products for the Standard Organization of Nigeria; U.N.D.P. Project on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja; Expert Committee for the Development of a National Pharmacopea (Federal Ministry of Health); Executive Board Representative of WAPCP in the Assembly of Health Ministers and Secretary, Drug Advisory Council of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists.
The one-time member of the Assessment Panel of Research Findings for ECOWAS Prize of Excellence is an External Examiner/External Assessor to several Universities such as Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; University of Ibadan; Oyo State; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; University of Benin, Edo State; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Kwame Nkruma University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana and University of Malaysia, Palau Pinang, Malaysia.
Professor Igwilo is actively involved in research, teaching and supervision of Postgraduate students and Ph.D candidates. She is among the team of researchers who worked on the anti-sickling medicinal plant extract-Niprisan. With over 54 publications in learned journals, books and monographs, her publication on “The development of suppository bases suitable for use in the tropics” led to the development of a paediatric analgesic, Phardol Suppositories.
The Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the West African Postgraduate College Pharmacists is also a member of the Institute of Public Analyst of Nigeria. She is a Matron of National Fellowship of Christian Pharmacy Students, Health Care Fellowship (Lagos State chapter) and member of the Board of Trustees of Christian Pharmacist Fellowship of Nigeria as well as Secretary of the Strategy Committee, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.
Professor Igwilo’s tenacity has earned her several awards and distinctions including the Eastern Region of Nigeria Secondary School Scholarship in 1966; Federal Republic of Nigeria Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies in 1975; University of Ife Scholarship in 1975; State Award of National Youth Service Corps by Kwara State Government, Chairman’s Award (National Award) of the National Youth service Corps by the Federal Government of Nigeria, in 1979; Federal Republic of Nigeria Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in Chelsea College, University of London in 1980. She is also a recipient of the Merit Award of Association of Lady Pharmacists of Nigeria, Honour’s Award of Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academics as well as the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Professor Igwilo is married and blessed with four children. | 
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