AJFAND Technical Reviewer

Prof. John Igene

John Oamen Igene, born 27-03-48, studied Agriculture at the University of Ibadan (1970- 1973), Nigeria and earned M.Sc. and Ph.D in Food Science at the Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan, USA (1975-1979) with academic scholarships. His specialization includes animal products, science and technology, food chemistry, food processing and post harvest technology. He became a full Professor of Food Science & Technology in 1987 at age 39 years while at the University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri Nigeria.

At the University of Maiduguri, he pioneered the development of the 1st ever Department of Food Science & Technology in a Northern based University in 1981 and in 1985, he was appointed the Foundation Dean of the School of Post Graduate Studies; and held the positions of Head of the Department of Food Science & Technology between 1984 and 1993 and of the Dean of Post Graduate Studies (1985-1992) concurrently. He made great strides and significant impacts while serving at the University of Maiduguri. Several of his former students have now become professors; and senior civil servants, holding significant positions in academia, industry and in the civil service.

He moved to the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; in 1993 and became Head of the Department of Animal Science (1995-1998); Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture (1999-2001); and the Pioneer Chairman/CEO of UNIBEN Enterprises Ltd;  a business arm of the University (1998-2005). At the University of Benin he pioneered the development of UNIBEN Water in 2000 and which has become a leader in the bottled water business in EDO State. He also pioneered the now most successful Multi-purpose Cooperative Society at the University of Benin; the FACOOP, of the Faculty of agriculture in 1999 while he was Dean. Facoop now has over 600 memberships and grossing about N25M monthly in business transactions; a testimony of a vision and an achievement.

 Professor Igene has been the recipient of several coveted Awards, Honours, Scholarships and Fellowships such as the Pfizer Travel Fellowship (1981), Senior Fulbright Fellowship (1982), and Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Fellowship (1989) to the University of Agriculture, Malaysia; and the Nigerian Institute of Food Science & Technology (NIFST) Fellowship (1987). He was President of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science & Technology (NIFST) between 1993 and 1995 and a member of the Governing Council of NIFST (1988-2006). He is a Principal Partner of Jostraig Nig. Ltd (Consulting Firm). He has been a Consultant to several organizations such as the UNDP (1995-2004), FAO( 1985-1993, 2010), UNICEF(1992), Harvard Institute for International Development (1993-1995), Several Agricultural Development Programmes (1987-19995), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (1992-1996), the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) on the Master Plan Project from 2002-2005. He was a Full time Consultant on Agro-processing with the National Programme for Food Security (FGN/FAO between 2008 and 2010 while on sabbatical leave; the Raw Materials Research & Development Council (RMRDC) between 1989 and 2008 and the Federal Ministry of Industries(1995-1998) as well as several private – sector organizations in Nigeria. He  was the Chairman of National committee for the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) on the development of Industrial standards for Suya products and he is currently a member of Education Trust Fund (ETF) Technical Advisory Group TAG) on Book Development. He was an Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria delegation to the International Conference on Nutrition in Rome, Italy (1992). As a creative individual, he has won several international research grants (FAO 1987; USAID 2003-2005) for the transformation of Kilishi production process from pilot plant stage to commercialization; Merit award, University of Nigeria Nsukka (2005) on the development of Kilishi process technology, and the certificate of Excellence awarded by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the Development of modern Kilishi process technology (2005). In 2008, the Nigerian Army procured over 5000.0 packs of Proff’s Kilishi for the troops in Dafur, Sudan from our kilishi factory at the University of Benin.  The kilishi process technology developed by Prof. John Igene and Associates has recently been adopted for commercialization by the National Programme for Food Security with several small-scale kilishi factories slated for Yobe State (NPFS, 2010). RMRDC has long adopted the same kilishi process technology for National development (since 2004) through workshops and extension training programmes.

Professor Igene in 2009 published a major book on Traditional African meat products (250 pp)with Lambert Academic Publishing(LAP), Germany ( see amazon.com) as well as another book on Food Security challenges in Nigeria (2009) also with LAP and has been well recognized for his work. Professor Igene is so well endowed and gifted in Research and Development (R&D) into lipid oxidation and traditional meat products; particularly Kilishi. Professor Igene has been a pathfinder, a motivator, a distinguished researcher, teacher and a University administrator with several research breakthroughs. He has supervised several M.Sc. and Ph.D candidates in Food Science and Technology.
Professor Igene has served the NUC (mostly as chairman of panels) since 1986 in the accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian Universities in the agriculture/ technology and engineering categories. He has served as external examiner in several Nigerian Universities (1984- date) as well as the University of Ghana (1990 to date).

Professor Igene is an internationally recognized authority on lipid auto-oxidation in food systems with special emphasis on Warmed-Over-Flavour (WOF) and on traditional African meat products technology. He has published over 120 scientific and technical papers and several monographs in Food Science & Technology and in Agriculture. He is a Christian and a member of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), belonging to the Ugbowo Chapter, Benin City, Nigeria.

He is faithfully and happily married to Dr (Mrs) Stella Igene and they have four children.
John O. Igene, PhD, FNIFST, Professor of Food Science and Technology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Email: jostraigng@yahoo.co.uk