Charles Wambebe

Charles Obadiah Nimma Wambebe (8 August 1946 – 9 November 2022) was a Nigerian professor of pharmacology who served as the director-general/chief executive officer of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) in Abuja. He contributed to the development of Niprisan, a phytomedicine for sickle cell disorder management, which led to The World Academy of Sciences Award in Medical Sciences. He also worked as a consultant in traditional medicine for various international organisations and held professorships at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa and Makerere University in Uganda.

Early life and education Wambebe was born on 8 August 1946 in the town of Emi Tsado, Kogi State, Nigeria. He obtained his PhD in neuropharmacology from Ahmadu Bello University in 1979, with his studies focusing on the physiological roles of dopamine in the brain. He was a visiting professor of pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center and collaborated with the World Health Organization. During his tenure, he oversaw the research and development of Niprisan, a standardised phytomedicine derived from four plants namely Piper guineenses seeds, Pterocarpus osun stem, Eugenia caryophyllum fruit and Sorghum bicolor leaves, used for sickle cell disorder management. Niprisan underwent clinical trials and was found to be safe and effective in reducing the frequency and severity of sickle cell crises. It received approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in 1998 and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001. Wambebe has five United States patents for Niprisan.

Wambebe also led the research and development of the first Nigerian HIV-1 candidate vaccine, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Institute of Human Virology. He developed a plant extract (CONAVIL) for HIV/AIDS management and conducted initial clinical trials. He developed the Draft Nigerian National HIV Vaccine Plan with support from UNAIDS in 2000.

Wambebe worked as a consultant in traditional medicine for the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, African Union, Economic Commission for Africa and African Development Bank. He was the chair of product research and development for Africa and the president of International Biomedical Research for Africa. He held a professorship in pharmacology at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa and an honorary professorship of pharmacology at Makerere University in Uganda. He published articles in international journals and contributed chapters to books, focusing his research on the development of phytomedicines from African indigenous medical knowledge using African food plants. He authored several books, including African Indigenous Medical Knowledge and Human Health.

Awards and honours Wambebe received The World Academy of Sciences Award in Medical Sciences in 2000 for his work on Niprisan. The Federal Government of Nigeria awarded him the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). He was an elected fellow of The World Academy of Sciences, African Academy of Sciences, and Nigerian Academy of Science.

Personal life and death Wambebe was married to Victoria Wambebe. He was a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He died on 9 November 2022 in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, at the age of 76. He was survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and other relatives and friends. His burial took place on 16 November 2022 in Emi Tsado, Kogi State, Nigeria.

Selected publications