The Immediate past president of the Chemical Society of Nigeria, CSN, Professor (Mrs) Gloria Obuzor has won the membership of the Bureau of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, IUPAC, at the Just concluded 47th World Chemistry Congress and 50th General Assembly of the organization In Paris, France.
The Professor of Chemistry at the University of Port Harcourt won one of the six vacancies that existed in the Bureau among 12 contestants. She scored the second highest votes to defeat six other contestants from France, Arab Republic of Egypt, Italy, Korea, Puerto Rico and China.
The Bureau was established by the IUPAC Council to act on its behalf during the intervals between Council meetings, except on matters specifically excluded from its delegated authority. It consists of the IUPAC President, Vice-President, Secretary-General, Treasurer, immediate Past-President, and Presidents of IUPAC Divisions, together with at least ten other members elected by the Council who are known as Elected Members; of which Professor Obuzor was elected into at the congress.
The principal duties of the Bureau are always subject to the IUPAC Statutes and Bylaws and are to ensure the strict observance of Statutes and Bylaws; to prepare the agenda for meetings of the Council and in particular to make provision for elections.
The Nigerian delegation led by the current CSN President, Professor Sunday Okeniyi to the 47th World Chemistry Congress and 50th General Assembly of IUPAC, with the theme “Frontiers in Chemistry: Let’s create our future! 100 years with IUPAC”, was at the Paris congress of IUPAC to bid for Nigeria’s hosting right of the 50th World Chemistry Congress and 53rd General Assembly of IUPAC come 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria. The bidding contest was between Nigeria, Malaysia and Thailand.
Briefing Newsmen in Kaduna on the outcome of the just-concluded bidding, the CSN President said that Nigeria’s bid was supported by South Africa, Arab Republic of Egypt, Senegal and few other European countries, but eventually lost to Malaysia in the contest. He said that the major diplomatic challenges Nigeria’s hosting bid experienced during the campaign were the fear of low attendance at the 2025 world chemistry congress; as the Nigerian bidding was the first from the African Continent.
He further disclosed that over 2,000 delegates from 54 countries across the globe, attended the Paris meeting of IUPAC, which is an umbrella body for professional Chemists all over the world. He also noted that IUPAC recently celebrated its 100 years of existence; and that; in celebrating the centenary of IUPAC, the International Younger Chemists Network, IYCN and the International Year of the Periodic Table, two Nigerian young chemists participated in the IUPAC and IYCN Periodic Table challenge.
The two Nigerians, Dr Cynthia Ibeto and Emmanuel Ohaekenyem won in the challenge and were both recipients of the IUPAC award for younger Chemists representing faces of Argon and Tin metals respectively.
We are proud of you, great chemists. Thank God.
Congratulations to the President, Professor S.O Okeniyi and the woman of great Achiever Professor Oghuzor.More grease to your elbow. I am proud to be a Chemist.