UNIOSUN’s Former VC, Okesina Reelected African Representative of IFCC

For the second time, the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) has elected a former Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Adekunle Bashiru Okesina as African Representative in its Executive Board for another three years.

A newsletter issued by IFCC on Monday, March 2, 2020 signed by Professor Graham Beastall (Glasgow UK), the Chairman of the Nominations’ Committee, disclosed that Okesina’s re-election came after a rigorous nomination and campaign process.

The newsletter, a copy of which was made available to AMILOADED on Thursday, maintained that Okesina emerged alongside other scholars including Prof. Abderrazek HEDHILI (Tunisia) – representing  Arab Federation of Clinical Biology (AFCB); Dr. Sunil SETHI (Singapore) representing Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (APFCB) and Ana-Maria Simundic (Croatia) representing European Federation of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM). 

The letter also announced other elected members into the IFCC Executive Board for 2021-2023  such as  the president-elect: Professor Khosrow Adeli (Canada), secretary: Professor David KINNIBURGH (Canada) and treasurer: Prof. Alexander Haliassos (Greece).

According to the letter, the IFCC Executive Board members elected to serve during period starting from January  2021- to December 2023, would be presented during the IFCC Council meeting to be held on the occasion of the WorldLab Seoul holding later in the year in South Korea. 

“On behalf of the Nomination Committee, we would like to thank the candidates who campaigned and took active part in the IFCC electoral process as well as for their steadfast commitment to serving IFCC. We congratulate warmly the newly elected IFCC Regional Federations Representatives,” the letter read in part.

Professor Okesina will, by his re-election, continue to be involved in the promotion of quality health care through development of excellent Laboratory Medicine practices  worldwide with emphasis on how Africa can benefit maximally from the activities of IFCC. 

Professor Okesina, who is  the Immediate Past President of the African Federation of Clinical Chemistry (AFCC) and a Consultant Chemical Pathologist in the Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology,  University of Ilorin,  Kwara State,  Nigeria, recorded history in 2017 after his nomination and subsequent election as the first Nigerian and Black African to represent Africa in the IFCC Executive Board.

He had been nominated and elected alongside five other representatives from different regions of the world: including Prof. Abderrazek HEDHILI (Tunisia) – representing Arab Federation of Clinical Biology (AFCB); Dr. Sunil SETHI (Singapore) – representing  Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (APFCB): Prof. Sverre SANDBERG (Norway) representing European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM); Dr. Rosa SIERAA-AMOR (Mexico)-representing Latin-American Confederation of Clinical Biochemistry (COLABIOCLI); Dr. Ann GRONOWSKI (USA) – representing North American Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (NAFCC) and Dr. Rolf HINZMANN (Germany) as CORPORATE Representative.

Professor Okesina’s first three-year tenure as member of the Executive Board of IFCC,  which began on 1st of January 2018 will end in last month of the current year 2020. The new tenure starts from 1st  January 2021 to 31st December 2023.

About IFCC

IFCC participates in the promotion of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine world-wide, providing ‘added value’ of laboratory medicine to health care, enhancing international clinical collaboration and education and management support to developing countries. 

Established in July 1952 and membership in more than 90 countries, the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and