By Abubakar Imam
A Professor at the Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Ilorin, Adeola T. Kola-Mustapha, has canvassed diligent and careful use of drugs based on prescription in order to avoid the poisoning effects of such medicinal substance on their health.
Prof. Kola-Mustapha gave this advice last Thursday (July 10, 2025) while delivering the 285th Inaugural Lecture of the University, entitled “Rooted in Nature, Refined By Science: A New Horizon in Advanced Drug Delivery”, at the University Auditorium.
The don explained that no medicine is perfect, saying that every drug is a potential poison and should, therefore, be used with caution.
While saying that herbal products must be administered with moderation, Prof. Kola-Mustapha explained that synthetic drugs are inherently imperfect and may often require special formulation processes in optimising delivery.
The Inaugural Lecturer underscored the need for standardised dosing, safety evaluation and integration strategies in healthcare delivery.
She, therefore, urged scientists to bring to the fore prevalent issues in medicinal development and use on patients as she noted that scientists should continuously strive to identify active plant components, determine safety and standardised dose, and further improve drug formulations for industrial efficiency and patient benefit.
Prof. Kola-Mustapha added that all drugs should be clean and prepared in an acceptable form that meets standards for quality and safety.
The don also called for the integration of natural and modern pharmaceutical practises. She, however, clarified that the call is not to place natural and synthetic medicines side by side in a pharmacy, but that they should be co-developed until one is indistinguishable from the other.
She counselled that indigenous pharmaceutical formulation practices should aspire to equal standards of quality, appeal and activity for natural and synthetic medicines and continuously attempt the co-formulation of both for the better health of Nigerian patients.
The renowned scholar noted a critical gap in the Nigerian healthcare system, adding that there is more to pharmaceutics than mortar and pestle.
She envisaged a future that entails the formulation of natural products as finished pharmaceutical products where herbal constituents are prepared in synthetic dosage forms such as tablets and capsules.
The modern world, according to Prof. Kola- Mustapha, introduces students to cutting-edge technologies for formulation, development and setting the pace in the next wave of industrial revolution.
She said that computational hardware and software for predicting drug activity to the use of artificial intelligence in optimising the drug development pathway should be developed to bridge the identified gaps.
Prof. Kola-Mustapha also called for the encouragement of public and private partnerships to accelerate access to technologies in pharmaceutical training.
The Inaugural Lecturer also said that it is not enough to test pharmaceutical formulations in the laboratory, pointing out that it is more important to commercialise them for use.
Prof. Kola-Mustapha also said that there should be no longer the need for a bridge between the laboratory and industry, saying that it would be of great benefit to the University to also consider the development of in-house production capacity for the commercialisation of novel medicinal formulations.
The Inaugural Lecturer said that she was convinced that Nigerians are hungry for ‘made-in-Nigeria’ and will not hesitate to patronise the University’s products.
Speaking on personal experience, Prof. Kola-Mustapha urged students to be focused on their targets, saying that there is no dream that cannot be accomplished with resilience and determination.
The Inaugural Lecturer, who has held many positions in the University, thanked the authorities of the institution for the opportunity given her to get to attain the pinnacle of her career as a university teacher.
The Inaugural Lecture, which was attended by Principal Officers of the University, Provost and Deans of Faculties, several relations, friends, colleagues, students and other categories of guests from far and near, was presided-over by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN.
