Students and administrative staffs at Gulu University are mourning yet another loss of a senior lecturer, Prof Joseph Onen Okello to cancer, just a year after they lost Dr Thomas Okello Oyok in August last year.
Prof Okello who had been in the Faculty of Science, department of Biological science, , lost the battle to cancer on Tuesday evening at Mulago Hospital in Kampala where he was admitted after a long illness.
Late last year, Prof Okello was admitted at the Cancer Institute following complications he developed where he was receiving Chemotherapy treatment.
The deceased had worked as senior researcher at the Life Stock Health Research Institute (LIRI) in Tororo district from 1994 till 2005 when he joined Gulu University.
He was revered by many of the staffs and students at the institution where he worked as a hard worker and a mentor to many science students.
Gulu University Public Relations Officer, Mr Mahmoud Khalid told Acholi Times on Wednesday that the deceased was dedicated in his work especially in the area of scientific research.
“I knew Prof Okello as someone who extremely worked hard in his department. His death is a big blow to the University especially in-terms of getting a replacement,” says Mr Khalid.
He added that Prof Okello was an international scholar whose works were sought after at international universities across the globe.
The University will surely miss him, adds Mr Khalid.
Dr Richard Echodu, the Dean Faculty of Science at the University who was also a student to the deceased commended Professor Okello for the generous mentorship he had for his students.
“He was a man of team work, a leader and above all he groomed many people, the University shall miss him a lot,” says Dr Echodu.
Biography
Prof Okello was born in May 1949. He was a Professor of Vectors and Vector-borne diseases at Gulu University and the first Dean at the Faculty of science at the institution.
He obtained a PHD in Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics from Makerere University where he studied between 1990-1995.
He holds masters in Science in Veterinary medical entomology at the University of Nairobi.
The deceased pursued a Bachelors of Science Degree from Makerere University from 1970-1973.
Prof Okello was an accomplished researcher with over 60 publications in refereed scientific journals, book chapters and proceedings in diverse disciplines of research of multi-disciplinary, cross-sectorial and Trans-disciplinary nature.
By press time, burial arrangements were still being planned with the deceased family making decisions on whether to lay him to rest at his home in Pece Division Gulu Municipality or his ancestral village in Anaka town council Nwoya district.
Other lecturers who passed on last year included, Mr Andrew Rackara in the department of Business, who was shot dead by gun men as he was going back home.
Another lecturer of Sports Science, Mr Nyeko Ballam, also passed on in Maylast year after being involved in motor accident.
