Charles Obadiah Nimma Wambebe was a renowned Nigerian professor of pharmacology and a key figure in African biomedical innovation. He served as the Director-General/CEO of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) in Abuja and played a leading role in the development of Niprisan, a phytomedicine for the treatment of sickle cell disorder.
Early Life and Education
- Born: 8 August 1946, Emi Tsado, Kogi State, Nigeria
- PhD in Neuropharmacology: Ahmadu Bello University (1979)
- Research Focus: Dopamine's physiological role in the brain
- Visiting Scholar: Georgetown University Medical Center
- Collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO)
Career and Research
NIPRD Tenure (1994–2006)
Wambebe served as Director-General and CEO of NIPRD. During this period:
He led the development of Niprisan, derived from:
- Piper guineense (seeds)
- Pterocarpus osun (stem)
- Eugenia caryophyllum (fruit)
- Sorghum bicolor (leaves)
Niprisan:
- Passed clinical trials proving safety and efficacy in reducing sickle cell crises
- Approved by NAFDAC in 1998 and FDA (USA) in 2001
- Wambebe held five U.S. patents for the formulation
HIV Research
- Led development of Nigeria’s first HIV-1 candidate vaccine
- Created CONAVIL, a plant extract for HIV/AIDS management
- Drafted the Nigerian National HIV Vaccine Plan (2000) with UNAIDS
- Collaborated with CDC and Institute of Human Virology
Consultancy and Academic Roles
Consultant in traditional medicine for:
- UNDP
- UNIDO
- African Union
- ECA
- AfDB
Held professorships in:
- Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
- Makerere University, Uganda (Honorary Professor)
Research Focus: Development of phytomedicines from African indigenous knowledge and food plants
Books Authored:
- African Indigenous Medical Knowledge and Human Health
Published numerous academic articles and contributed to international textbooks
Awards and Honours
- The World Academy of Sciences Award in Medical Sciences (2000)
- Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) – Federal Government of Nigeria
- Order of the Federal Republic (OFR)
- Elected Fellow:
- The World Academy of Sciences
- African Academy of Sciences
- Nigerian Academy of Science
Personal Life and Death
- Spouse: Victoria Wambebe
- Religious Affiliation: Member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God
- Died: 9 November 2022, Quincy, Massachusetts, USA (aged 76)
- Burial: 16 November 2022, Emi Tsado, Kogi State, Nigeria
- Survived by: Wife, children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends
Selected Publications
(A detailed list of his academic publications would be inserted here if available.)
References
- Tell Communications Limited (2008).
Retrieved 25 December 2023
(Additional citations pending)