Renowned Nutritional Biochemist Shokunbi to Deliver Babcock University’s 62nd Inaugural Lecture
Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry and Toxicology in the Department of Biochemistry at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Professor Olutayo Sunday Shokunbi, is scheduled to deliver the university’s 62nd Inaugural Lecture. The event will take place on Thursday, 4 June 2026, at 2 pm, at the university’s Business School Main Auditorium.
According to the Registrar, Dr. Patience Chioma, “Professor Shokunbi will deliver paper presentation on the topic, ‘Food as Medicine, Food as Poison: Navigating the double-edge Plate’, while Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole, the President/Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, is the Chairman of the occasion.”
Dignitaries, academics, nutritionists, food experts, scientists, and agriculturists are expected to attend the lecture.
The Inaugural Lecture is a significant occasion for the university to acknowledge the appointment or promotion of new full professors, introduce them to both the academic and non-academic communities of the university, and foster further engagement with the wider community.
The presentation of an Inaugural Lecture marks a major milestone in the academic career of a full professor and provides a platform to share research achievements and introduce new ideas to a diverse audience of scholars and members of the public.
Prof. Shokunbi holds a BSc (Hons.) degree in Biochemistry from Babcock University, as well as MSc degrees in Nutritional Biochemistry & Toxicology and in Human Nutrition, and a PhD in Human Nutrition, all from the University of Ibadan.
With over twenty years of research and academic experience spanning Nigeria and South Africa, his work focuses on the surveillance of essential minerals, toxicants, and emerging contaminants in common foods and underutilised legumes; complementary food formulation; dietary intake assessment; maternal and child nutrition; food safety; and the biochemical effects of plant bioactive compounds.
More recently, his research has expanded to include microplastics and other emerging contaminants in foods, beverages, and environmental matrices.
He currently leads multidisciplinary research on developing functional foods aimed at managing diabetes, obesity, lactation challenges, and related metabolic conditions.
Prof. Shokunbi has authored and co-authored 40 peer-reviewed publications, including 18 in Scopus-indexed international journals, with an h-index of 13 and i10-index of 16.
He has published extensively in international academic journals and has supervised numerous undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral candidates.
Prior to February 2026, Prof. Shokunbi served as Deputy Provost, Acting Provost, and subsequently Provost of the Babcock University College of Postgraduate Studies, and has also served as Coordinator of the Doctoral Academy of Nigeria.
He is a full member of the Nutrition Society (UK), the African Nutrition Society, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
He is married to Dr (Mrs.) Oluwatosin S. Shokunbi, and they are blessed with two sons.