Name: Prof. Oliver .I. Onyali
Designation: Parasitology
Specialization: Professor of Medical and Veterinary Parasitology

Life Experience: I was born in Jos where I started my primary school, and my secondary school at St. Peter’s Secondary School, Achina. I had my tertiary education at University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Pennsylvania United States, and my PhD in the University of Jos, Plateau State. After which I took up employment with the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom Plateau State as a Research Scientist. In 1988, I joined ASUTECH (now UNIZIK).

Achievements: I have served the university in various capacities; as Head of Department (HOD), Coordinator/Director, Pre-Science (19994-1998), I have served as Member, University Governing Council, Director Academic Planning, and presently the Director, International Collaborations/Linkages, and the Vice-President General, Mbaukwu Improvement Union of my town.

The present Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Boniface C.E. Egboka has done a lot in terms of International Collaborations and Linkages, and encouraged this Unit so much to achieve a lot of goals. Moreso, the world is a global village and the status of a university depends on how far it reaches out to international community. Presently, we have more than eighteen (18) MOU with other Universities internationally and nationally. The only challenge is putting these MOU into effective use for the benefit of our university, in terms of research collaborations, exchange of lecturers and students, and we are already making significant headways in these goals.

Stress Management: Life is always a challenge, but you need to be focused, organized, and plan well. The key word is planning, with that, you would be able to achieve a lot, have leisure time, and rest yourself for the challenges ahead.

Belief: I believe that what is worth doing is worth doing well. A good name is better than gold, and I believe in principled approach to issues based on truth and justice.

Challenges: Life is a challenge even from the time one is born. The essence of life is solving that challenges. I don’t believe can over-whelm me, because I believe in handling it on day-to-day bases.

Notable events: My experience as a Biafran soldier during the war as a very young man, the experience was both positive and negative, and it still influences my philosophy about life till now.

Advice for the new generation: My worry is the giant stride made in technology, especially digital communication. This new generation is now exposed to very negative things, and their lives and culture are influenced. More so, they are in a haste to make wealth, the means of achieving it not withstanding. Hence, my advice is that anything that is not achieved in the proper way must collapse in the end. But if they follow the proper means in achieving things, and believing in God, lasting success and self-fulfillment is achieved.