Lagos: Stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector on Thursday urged members to uphold integrity and preserve the enduring legacy of the late Founder of Pharmanews, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi. They spoke at the maiden edition of the Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi Memorial Lecture with the theme: ‘Legacy Beyond Life: Leadership, Integrity, and the Power of Enduring Impact’.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the programme is a platform to honour the legacy and profound imprint Atueyi left on the pharmaceutical and healthcare landscape in Nigeria. Delivering the keynote speech, Prof. Lere Baale, the President of Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, said integrity remained the enduring foundation of leadership and legacy.
Baale remarked that the programme was not merely organised to remember Atueyi, but to celebrate a life defined by integrity, vision, leadership, and enduring contributions to society. He emphasized that greatness is measured not by longevity but by the impact individuals make and the values they leave behind for society after their lifetime.
The President described the late Atueyi as a visionary who recognised the importance of information in advancing healthcare. He said Pharmanews over the years gave pharmacists a credible voice and served as a platform for strengthening professional communication. He commended Atueyi’s family for instituting the annual memorial lecture, describing the initiative as a worthy platform for preserving the late publisher’s ideals and inspiring future generations.
Speaking earlier, a former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, said the late Atueyi’s legacy remained a source of inspiration for leadership, integrity, and service. Adelusi-Adeluyi said the theme of the event reflected the values by which the late publisher, who he described as a close friend of over 50 decades, lived throughout his distinguished career.
Also, the immediate Past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ahmed Yakassi, described the late pharmacist as a bridge builder who united professionals across the pharmaceutical sector. Yakassi recalled that Atueyi played a pivotal role in reconnecting veteran pharmacists who had become disengaged from the profession, encouraging them to return and contribute to the growth and development of the sector.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Dozie Atueyi, the Executive Director of Pharmanews Ltd, said the memorial lecture was put together to honour his late father, who he described as a remarkable individual. He said the publisher championed credible health information dissemination through Pharmanews for over four decades while promoting professional excellence and encouraging dialogue among healthcare practitioners.
NAN reports that the late Atueyi, a native of Okija in Anambra, graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. He founded Pharmanews in 1979 and died at the age of 85 on July 15, 2025. A memorial trust named after him was also unveiled at the event with the mission to preserve his value and extend his legacy by equipping people, empowering communities, and transforming lives.