By Amaechi Agbo, Agbani

The Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, today got 18 new Professors and 22 Readers among its staff.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie who disclosed this in a press conference at the Agbani Campus of the university on Tuesday said the promotions were as a result of hardwork and urged the affected staff to double their efforts.

The Vice-Chancellor instructed the new Professors and Readers to realize that their new ranks place more moral burden on them to serve the university with integrity and dignity.

Prof Okolie added that the promotions were effected following the approval of the University Governing Council after a thorough review of their credentials and outputs and stressed the need for the promoted lecturers to double their efforts in the productivity and ethical values.

“We are happy today and we fill obliged to organize this press conference to formerly announce your promotions and also publicly hand you over your letters of elevation. The ranks of a Reader and a Professor are very critical that we would just allow you to sneak into the office and go away with your letters.

“You deserve all the accolades and on behalf of the university management, I congratulate all of you. The University is proud of you all.

“However, I must emphasis that your new ranks or promotion comes with moral burden. I hope that the tag of aProfessor will not weigh you down. You have reached a noble position in your academic careers and we expect greater nobility and a higher sense of ethical values.

“Today, you are expected to put up, henceforth, a new life both in your students engagements, attitude to work and disposition,” the VC said.

A total of 18 professors from 12 departments received their promotion letters from the Vice-Chancellor.

The 18 new Professors are: Dr Nnenna Harmony Nwobodo-Nzeribe, Computer Engineering; Dr Onyemaechi John Odo, Guidance and Counselling; Dr Miriam Ngọzi Mgbokor, Agriculture Economics; Dr Leonard Chinweuba Chukwu, Educational Management; Dr Caroline Nkechinyere Nawnkwo, Accountancy; Dr Frederick Udebunu Ilo, Electrical/Electronics Engineering; Dr Esther Nneka Maduagwu, Business Administration; Dr Celestine Ifeanyi Nnado, Accountancy and Dr Charles Emenogha Aduaka, Law.

Other new professors who also received their Promotion Letters today are: Dr Christian Chukwuemeka Obeagu, Law; Dr Evaristus Chukwudi Ezugwu, General Studies Division, Dr Christian Osonduagwuike Ele, General Studies Division; Dr Kelvin Okoh Ugwu, Accountancy; Dr Chukwudi Ani Amunnadi, General Studies Division; Dr Christopher Onyemaechi Ezike, Animal/Fisheries Science and Management; Dr Cordelia Udemgbo Udabah, General Studies Division, Dr Simeon Okonkwo Ogbu, Geography and Metrology and Dr Nkiru Nwamaka Kizor-Akariwe, Ophthalmology.

A total of 22 Readers from 17 departments also received their letters of promotion from the Vice-Chancellor. They are: Dr Catherine Uzoamaka Aneke, Technology and Vocational Education; Dr Basil Esom Ibekwe, Electrical/Electronics Engineering; Dr Monday Omotioma, Chemical Engineering; Dr Samuel Onyinyechi Nkeji, Science and Education; Dr Chikasi Mercy Obodo, Estate Management; Dr Okechukwu Thomas Onah, Mechanical and Production Engineering; De Vincent Chi Ezinwa, General Studies Division as well as Dr Irechukwu Callistus Nwosu, Animal and Fisheries Science Management.

Other new Readers include: Dr Fidelia Nebechi Onuigbo, Economics; Dr Bethram Onyebuchi Agu, Banking and Finance; Dr Gabriel Anidiobu, Banking and Finance; Dr Sussan Ngozi Oluka, Technology and Vocational Education; Dr Slyvanus Ugwu Awere, Agronomy and Ecological Management; Dr Chijioke Uzoma Agbo, Law; Dr Emmanuel Onuegbunam Anikwe, Banking and Finance and Dr Abigail Chikaodinaka Obodoh, Science Education.

Also in the list are: Dr Nkemjika Nnedinso Umerah, Food Science and Technology; Dr Virginia Nnenna Onyeka, Accountancy; Dr Chiekezie Sunday Onoh Nnamdi, Business Administration; Dr Paulinus Chukwuemeka Uke, Agriculture Economics and Extension; Dr Paulinus Chikwado Ejeh, General Studies Division and Dr Mary Ijeoma Marie, Business Administration.

The post Breaking News: ESUT Gets 18 New Professors, 22 Readers appeared first on ESUT Monitor.

Recently, there are high incident of sudden deaths in our society which were previously rare. In Africa, sudden death is always attributed to poison by “supposed enemies”. Scientifically, the major cause of sudden death is oxidative stress which is a risk factor to metabolic syndrome.

Stress is the resultant effect of pressure or threat or it may be seen as any changes that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. When the exposure to psychological stress becomes persistence it leads to increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is a public health problem that is responsible for a growing number of premature deaths throughout the World. It could also be regarded as a condition that predisposes one to coronary heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes which are stress induced. It is the leading cause of death in the Western World due to their lifestyle and food choices (convenience and processed foods).

African has a unique and peculiar diet originating from farm and is prepared in its original form. In recent time, our diet have deteriorated because we tend to imitate the Western diet thereby neglecting our ancient diet hence prone to the Western diseases.

Plant foods in addition to nutrients, contain other constituents which are phytochemicals, antioxidant, anti-nutrients and toxicants. Anti-nutrient are chemical components of plant foods that inhibit the absorption of nutrients examples phytate, oxalate, trypsin inhibitors etc. Toxins are the chemical components of plant foods that affect the host example saponin. Studies shows that both anti-nutrient and toxins can be reduced through fermentation, malting, boiling etc.

On the other hand, phytochemicals are chemical components of foods that have health benefits examples terpene, flavonoids, phenol etc while antioxidant are chemical compounds that eliminate oxidative stress in biological system example vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, carotenoids etc.

Antioxidant are scavengers of free radicals from the body cells and prevent the damage caused by oxidation (reactive oxygen species). Oxidation is caused by oxygen entering the biological system.

Promoting desirable food behaviour and nutritional practice is the key to achieving optimum nutritional status and a healthy lifestyle. This can be achieved through intentional and increased consumption of foods rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants which are capable of reducing reactive oxygen species (oxidative stress).

Majority of our indigenous foods are rich in antioxidants like pigeon pea, fruits and vegetables, among others

Dr. Nkemjika Umerah is a lecturer in the Department of Food Science and Technology, ESUT. Email: [email protected];

The post Nutrition: Managing Stress Through Effective Dieting appeared first on ESUT Monitor.

Food choices and preferences of people reflect their ancient heritage (ancient diet). Food habit of people depicts who they are as regard to diet and it is their identity. Take for instance upon meeting a young man in an African restaurant in the USA eating “ora soup” and “eba”, that shows that he is an Igbo man.

In the same restaurant, seeing another eating ‘ewedu soup” with “eba’, that shows that he is a Yoruba man and on seeing another eating starch and “owo soup”, you will conclude that he is from Niger Delta.

There was no formal introduction but their food has already expressed their origin. They are familiar with their indigenous foods, they know how to cultivate them, they know how to prepare them and they enjoy the meals containing them.

In the Western World, the major Nutritional problem is over-nutrition. This is as a result of the fact that carb foods are cheap and the poor segment of the population barely afford quality food hence their choice of high carbohydrate food which predisposes them to obesity.

In contrast, in developing World, their nutritional problem is multifactorial thereby leading to triple burden malnutrition. By triple burden, it means a situation whereby under-nutrition, over-nutrition and micronutrient malnutrition thrive in a given community.

In Nigeria for instance, the malnutrition suffered by the rich is over-nutrition (obesity), while the poor suffer from under-nutrition (underweight) and the naïve and ignorant suffer from micronutrient malnutrition (hidden hunger).

The best approach to conquer malnutrition in the developing World is through diet diversification which has a direct bearing on food security. To diversify diet, there is need to re-introduce all the underutilized foods that have gone extinct back to the table menu.

Underutilized foods are those foods with under-exploited potential for contributing to food security, health (nutritional and medicinal), income generation and environmental services. They are neglected and there is growing ignorance among the young people about the existence of these nutritionally rich food.

The reason for their under-exploitation are new discovery (technology of food processing), time to harvest from the forest, association with poverty and backwardness, and lack of knowledge about their nutritional and health implication.

A lot of underutilized foods has been identified through focus group discussion and stable isotope analysis (Nutrition Anthropology). Some underutilized vegetables include “erimmiri” Boerhavia diffuse, African tulip ‘ulumiri’ Spathodea campanulata, Bush marigold ‘Anwiniwa-ani’Aspilia Africana, gooseberry ‘Akpuru’ Phyllanthus debilis etc.

While some underutilized fruits include Hog plum “echikara” Spondian mombin, Black plum ‘mbembe’ Vitex doniana, African locust bean pulp ‘mkpuru ugba’ Parkia clappatoniana, among others

Dr. Nkemjika Umerah is a lecturer in the Department of Food Science and Technology, ESUT. Email: [email protected]

The post Diet: Lifestyle and food choices appeared first on ESUT Monitor.