Professor Joseph Ahaneku a native of Ahiara Mbaise in Imo State was born on the 1st of October, 1962, and obtained his B.Sc Hons Biochemistry, M.Sc and PhD in Chemical Pathology all from the University of Ibadan. It is on record that by the time he obtained his PhD in Chemical Pathology at the age of 28, he was adjudged the youngest person to earn a PhD in Chemical Pathology in Africa. He joined Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) as a Foundation academic Staff of the Department of Chemical Pathology in 1991. In Jan 1992, he was appointed Honorary Consultant Chemical Pathologist at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State. In 1993, the then Dr Ahaneku, won the Science and Technology Agency (STA) of Japan fellowship and grant to work at National Institute of Health (NIH), Tokyo for 18 months. That made Dr Ahaneku the first Nigerian and the only African that year, to secure the highly competitive STA fellowship and grant. At the end of the stay in NIH Tokyo in October 1994, Dr Ahaneku emerged as the foreign Researcher of the year in Japan, making Ahaneku the first African and first black Scientist to receive such STA and Research Development Corporation of Japan honour. Due to Dr Ahaneku’s performance at NIH Tokyo, he was subsequently hired for another one year research fellowship by Japan Society for the promotion of Science (JSPS), this time at the Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, Saga Medical School, Saga-Ken, Japan (April 1995 – March 1996). Ahaneku after being promoted to the rank of Professor in 1997, further secured a senior research fellowship and grant from JSPS for 10 months at the Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka-ken (April 1998 – February 1999). The then Dr Ahaneku, rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Chemical Pathology of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka on the 1st of October, 1997 at exactly the age of 35, making him the youngest person to be promoted to the rank of Professor of Chemical Pathology in Africa and arguably one of the youngest persons to be promoted to the rank of Professor of Chemical Pathology and laboratory Medicine in the World. After 28 years of being promoted to the rank of Professor of Chemical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Professor Ahaneku remains one of the top three youngest Professors in Nigeria across all disciplines, and one of the oldest still serving, Professors of the Nigerian University System.
Ahaneku’s research exploits had been legendary. He was among the global researchers that pioneered the introduction of baseline value as a mechanistic factor for lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in humans which has formed the basis for the interpretation of lipid and lipoprotein changes during pharmaco-therapeutic interventions in humans. Ahaneku also developed the technique for the local modification for High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) moiety complete-isolation which is a requirement for accurate HDL-Cholesterol quantification.
Prof. Ahaneku has participated in several new products evaluation and clinical trials of reputable medications in use globally. He was part of the team that worked on the molecular basis of delipidation for drug and vaccine development. Prof Ahaneku was also a member of the team in Japan that worked on nel-gene protein and its impact on diagnosis and treatment of human and animal diseases.
Prof Ahaneku, has worked as a Consultant to UNESCO projects. He has held several administrative positions starting from the Department, Faculty, and to School of Postgraduate Studies and central management in the University system. He was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in 2010 – 2014 (two terms). He was also the Director Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) for four years and later became the Chairman of the Board of Confucius Institute NAU, Awka and Xiamen University, China for five years. Prof Ahaneku served as the 5th substantive Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State (2014 to 2019). He was the Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVC) from Sept 2017 to June 2019 and the Chairman Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) from October 2018 to June 2019.
Prof. Ahaneku has been part of the Afro-Asia silk-road dialogue and was a panelist during the 2011 Arab spring conversation group in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He has supervised and examined several candidates at Master and Doctorate levels, many of whom are now Professors in different Universities in Nigeria and abroad. Prof. Ahaneku has to his credit 106 scientific publications in reputable high impact journals, two book chapters and two books written in his honour.
Professor Ahaneku was a member of the Executive Council of the Nigerian Academy of Science, and currently member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Nigeria and chair of the Basic Clinical Session of the Academy. A member of the Board of Trustees of Shanahan University, Onitsha, Anambra State, a member of the Research and Development Standing Committee of TETFund, member of National Research Fund Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, a member of the Triple Helix Conversation Group and vision 10.10.10. Prof Ahaneku was a Member of the last Board of Directors, Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN). He is the immediate past National President, Association of Clinical Chemists of Nigeria and current member of the Executive Board of African Federation of Clinical Chemistry. Prof Ahaneku served as the chairman panel of judges Nigeria Prize for Science 2023 (African’s highest prize for Science sponsored by NLNG).
Prof. Ahaneku loves travelling, creativity and farming. He is the Chairman, Demlaz Farms, Processing and Services Ltd and Chairman, Mbaise Agriculture Projects Implementation Committee (MAPIC). Prof. Ahaneku is a licensed Public Analyst of the Institute of Public Analyst of Nigeria, Fellow of Environmental Health, Fellow of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, Fellow of Psychological Society of Nigeria, Fellow of Forensic and Investigative Auditors of Nigeria, Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and Foundation Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Nigeria.
Professor Joseph Eberendu Ahaneku is the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of National University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Africa’s foremost apprenticeship modeled Postgraduate University meant to enthrone apprenticeship residency and embed techno-scientific revolution in Nigeria with the attendant socio-economic gains.
Prof Ahaneku is happily married to Professor, Gladys Ifesinachi Ahaneku, mni a Consultant Cardiologist and they are blessed with four sons and a daughter.