The commitment of CPED to research and development in line with her motto was once again reiterated at the public presentation of the Special Edition of the African Journal of Reproductive Health (AJRH) published by Women’s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC). AJRH was recently ranked by the National University Commission (NUC) as the number one journal in Nigeria (in all disciplines) that meets international standards. At a beautiful event held to present a special edition of the journal in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Lagos on the 28th of June, 2012, Editor of the Journal and Programme Officer of Ford Foundation in charge of West Africa office, Professor Friday Okonofua – commended the Executive Director of CPED – Professor Emeritus A.G. Onokerhoraye for his interest in promoting research works and publications over the years. Speaking further, the editor and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and former Provost of the College of Medical Services at the University of Benin, Nigeria, traced the history and survival of the Journal – AJRH in part to the encouragement and cash donation of CPED’s Executive Director. Speaking in the same vein, one of the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion – Nimi Briggs, Professor Emeritus and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, eulogized the Emeritus Professor for keeping to the research traditional instead of going for political appointments like many of his contemporaries.
The journal presentation was done under the chairmanship of distinguished academics – Professor Isaac Adewole, the incumbent Vice Chancellor of Nigeria’s Premier University – University of Ibadan which coincidentally is the alma-mater of the Emeritus Professor.
Reviewing the Journal at the presentation, the reviewer – Professor Innocent Ujah of the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, pointed out the domination of the journal by articles from Edo State –describing most the works as original research. The Special Edition of the AJRH Journal was made of 21 articles, out of which 7 of them were from CPED’s collaboration with her partners from the University of Windsor, Canada, Action Health Incorporated, Lagos, University of Benin, Benin City and the Edo State Ministry of Education in a Project titled: “HIV Prevention for Rural Youth: Mobilizing Schools & Communities, Edo State, Nigeria” through the Global Health Research Initiative managed by IDRC,Canada. CPED’s articles in the Journal are: HIV Prevention for Rural Youth in Nigeria: background overview by Andrew G. Onokerhoraye, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale and the HP4RY Team, Bridging theory and practice in
HIV prevention for rural youth, Nigeria by Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale and the HP4RY Team, What does a decolonizing/decentralizing methodology in examining sexual lives entails? A critical reflective case study by S. Nombuso Dlamini, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale, Francisca Omorodion, Uzo Anucha and the HP4RY Team, The use of National Youth Service Corp Members to Build AIDS Competent Communities in Rural Edo State Nigeria by Francisca Omorodion, Ese Akpede, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale, Kokunrhe Agbontean-Eghafona, Andrew G. Onokerhoraye and the HP4RY team, Empowering teachers to change youth practices: Evaluating Teacher Delivery and Responses to the FLHE program in Edo State, Nigeria by S. Nombuso Dlamini, Felicia Okoro, Uyi Oni Ekhosuehi, Adenike Esiet and the HP4RY team, Evaluation of School- and Community-Based HIV Prevention Interventions with Junior Secondary School Students in Edo State, Nigeria by Robert Arnold, Eleanor Maticka- Tyndale, Eric Y. Tenkorang, Daniel Holland, Adeline Gaspard, Isaac Luginaah, and the HP4RY Team, Meeting the Challenges of North-South Collaboration: The Case of HIV Prevention for RuralYouth, Edo State, Nigeria Andrew G. Onokerhoraye, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale and the HP4RY Team.
The journal presentation also witnessed a keynote address by the Director –General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDSs – Prof John Idoko who spoke on: Addressing Youth Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and attended by representatives of the First Lady of Ekiti State, University of Windsor, Action Health Incorporated, Ford Foundation, Macarthur Foundation and IPAS. Additionally, presentation of awards to deserving institutions, persons and staff ended the programme for the day.
(AS REPORTED BY JOHNSON E. DUDU)
