Must Africans die from diseases that are preventable? Professor Omotuyi shares his response to witnessing the impact of diseases affecting his community and the realization that his research and expertise could help alleviate some of these problems. Born in Ekiti State, Nigeria, Omotuyi was interested in science from a young age. One of his neighbours was a professor whose children were in training for medical lab science. They discussed their work with Omotuyi, kick-starting his fascination with how the world worked.
After completing his doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of Benin, Nigeria, Omotuyi applied for a Japanese Government Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology scholarship in 2009. Through the program, scientists from all over the world conduct research in Japan. Omotuyi was one of five applicants chosen for a position at Nagasaki University to work toward his second doctoral degree in pharmaceutical science.
Armed with the knowledge and skills gleaned from working in a first-class laboratory and heavy scientific environment, he came back to Nigeria to raise the level of science in Africa. He now serves as a professor at the College of Pharmacy at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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