The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, has congratulated the newly appointed Director-General of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, who is a 1997 medical graduate of the institution.
Dr. Adetifa will lead the Federal Government agency that has been at the centre of Nigeria’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
In a statement made available to newsmen by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun, in Ilorin at the weekend, the Vice-Chancellor said that “Unilorin is highly honoured with the appointment of Dr. Adetifa”, whom he described as “a truly distinguished alumnus of the University”.
Prof. Abdulkareem said that judging by his rich antecedents as a consummate infectious diseases epidemiologist, Dr. Adetifa is well suited for the job, adding that “he is indeed a round peg in a round hole”.
The new NCDC Director General, who takes over from Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, graduated from the College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin in 1997, having earlier graduated from the University Secondary School in 1988.
While urging Dr. Adetifa to go into his new appointment with the legendary dedication and commitment for which he has been known over the years, the Vice-Chancellor said that “as a thorough-bred product of the great Unilorin Medical School, the new NCDC boss will work assiduously, in the best Unilorite tradition, to justify the national confidence reposed in him”.
Prof. Abdulkareem added, “I am sure that Dr. Adetifa would definitely consolidate the gains recorded by his predecessor, and even surpass it, as he moves the fight against COVID-19 to a new level”.
