Robert Ajayi Boroffice
Encyclopedia
Professor Robert Ajayi Boroffice (b. 23 April 1949) is a Nigerian academic and public servant who was elected Senator for Ondo North, in Ondo State
, Nigeria
on 9 April 2011, running on the Labour party
(LP) platform.
in 1975, and Professor of Zoology at the Lagos State University
in 1986.
He has conducted research at the post-doctoral level in the areas of human congenital malformations, carcinogenesis and mutagenesis.
He also held administrative positions at the Lagos State University including Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans.
He played a central role in establishing the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
In 1999 Prof. Boroffice became the founding Director General of NASRDA, a post he held for 10 years. Under his leadership, NASRDA launched 2 satellites; a low orbit earth observations micro-satellite (NigeriaSat-1) in 2003 and a communication satellite (NigcomSat-1) in 2007. He also laid the groundwork for the building of NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X, which were launched in August 2011, from Russia.
In 2004, for his outstanding service to the Nigerian people, Prof. Robert Boroffice was conferred the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In March 2011, Boroffice was given the 2011 Golden Merit Award in Space Science by the World Federation of Science Journalists.
He gained the support of traditional rulers in the Akoko area of Ondo State.
In an interview before the April elections he criticized politicians who lacked integrity and honor, making promises they could not keep in order to get elected, and then focusing on making money once elected.
In the election, Boroffice gained 84,290 votes. Runners up were the incumbent Senator Bode Olajumoke
of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) with 51,112 votes and Agunloye Olu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with 36,601 votes.
In 2009, Robert Boroffice was unanimously conferred the title of Asiwaju of Akoko Land by over 48 traditional rulers in the four Akoko Local Governments in Ondo State.
Ondo State
Ondo State, Nigeria was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. It originally included what is now Ekiti State, which was split off in 1996. Akure is the state capital.-Government and society:...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
on 9 April 2011, running on the Labour party
Labour Party (Nigeria)
The Labour Party is a socialist/social democratic political party in Nigeria. In the 21 April 2007 Nigerian National Assembly election, the party won 1 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and no seats in the Senate. The Party's flagbearer in Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, emerged the...
(LP) platform.
Early career
Boroffice was born on 23 April 1949. He became a lecturer at the University of IbadanUniversity of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
in 1975, and Professor of Zoology at the Lagos State University
Lagos State University
The Lagos State University - also known as LASU - was established in 1983 by the enabling Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, for the advancement of learning and establishment of academic excellence. The university caters for a population of over 61,000, enrolled in full-time and part-time programmes at...
in 1986.
He has conducted research at the post-doctoral level in the areas of human congenital malformations, carcinogenesis and mutagenesis.
He also held administrative positions at the Lagos State University including Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans.
Public servant
Boroffice was appointed Coordinating Director for Science in the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in 1992. His main focus in this job was on biotechnology, Information and Communication Technology and Space Science and Technology.He played a central role in establishing the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
In 1999 Prof. Boroffice became the founding Director General of NASRDA, a post he held for 10 years. Under his leadership, NASRDA launched 2 satellites; a low orbit earth observations micro-satellite (NigeriaSat-1) in 2003 and a communication satellite (NigcomSat-1) in 2007. He also laid the groundwork for the building of NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X, which were launched in August 2011, from Russia.
In 2004, for his outstanding service to the Nigerian people, Prof. Robert Boroffice was conferred the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In March 2011, Boroffice was given the 2011 Golden Merit Award in Space Science by the World Federation of Science Journalists.
Political career
Boroffice faced little opposition in his bid to become Labour Party candidate for the Ondo North Senatorial District.He gained the support of traditional rulers in the Akoko area of Ondo State.
In an interview before the April elections he criticized politicians who lacked integrity and honor, making promises they could not keep in order to get elected, and then focusing on making money once elected.
In the election, Boroffice gained 84,290 votes. Runners up were the incumbent Senator Bode Olajumoke
Bode Olajumoke
Wilfred Olabode Olajumoke is a Nigerian politician who has been a member of the Senate of Nigeria for Ondo State since 2007.-Background:...
of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) with 51,112 votes and Agunloye Olu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with 36,601 votes.
In 2009, Robert Boroffice was unanimously conferred the title of Asiwaju of Akoko Land by over 48 traditional rulers in the four Akoko Local Governments in Ondo State.