Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN) has announced the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited, Tunde Afolabi as the new board chairman.
The National Director/Chief Executive Officer of SCFN, Dr. Annette Akinsete, in a statement, said the appointment took place on March 23, 2023.
He said Afolabi, a Director of SCFN, is a long-standing benefactor of the foundation, who played a very significant role in the foundation’s programmes and initiatives, particularly in the funding of its Bone Marrow Transplant Programme.
Afolabi is to champion and drive the foundation’s mission of seeking effective solutions to problems associated with sickle cell disorder in Nigeria and beyond.
The foundation looks forward to working under the leadership of Afolabi as it enters a new phase of the foundation’s journey, while remaining committed to its mission of improving the lives of people living with sickle cell disorder.
Afolabi takes over the chairmanship of the SCFN Board from Prof. Olu Akinyanju, the founder and first chairman of the foundation.
Akinyanju, during his tenure, made significant contributions to the organisation’s growth and success, including the establishment of the National Sickle Cell Centre, a state-of-the-art Bone Marrow Transplant Centre in collaboration with Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), free hip replacement surgeries for patients, stroke prevention and development of a world-class DNA molecular laboratory for early diagnosis of foetal genotypes, among others.
“Akinyanju’s contributions in the sickle cell space, persons diagnosed with the disorder now have a higher chance of living long, productive lives. We thank him for his dedication, and commitment as he continues to serve on the Board,” the statement said.
