Professor Edward Oparaoji currently holds a leadership role at a major biopharmaceutical
organization, in the USA. . He oversees and facilitates relationships with scientific experts, clinical
research, scientific publications, medical education and other medical affairs support initiatives,
essential to bringing lifesaving medicines to patients.
He is the Founder of ECUDOMEF – a non-profit organization that enhances quality of life of the
underprivileged Nigerian, especially the youths, widows and orphans, through facilitation of access to affordable purposeful education and quality healthcare services. This organization has awarded over 500 scholarships to deserving students in Imo State. It has also sponsored many free medical and educational outreach and other poverty alleviating programs, since its inception in 1990. Dr. Oparaoji also currently serves as President/Chief Executive Officer of Ask-the-Pharmacist.Org; Chairman, Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy, Washington DC; ; ex-member Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA); Chairman and advisor. Nigerian-American Leadership Council (NALC); Chairman Mbaise Policy Roundtable, New York, USA; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Amuzi Development Fund (ADF); Grand Patron Amuzi Progressive Union (APU), Abuja Branch; Chairman, Eastern Mandate Union (EMU)-Abroad, Chairman, Imo Global Alliance for Good Governance (IGAGG), among others.
Prior to his current roles, Dr. Oparaoji held various high profile positions with increasing
responsibilities in diverse organizations and settings. These included Professor of Critical Care
Therapeutics and Doctor of Pharmacy Program Director- at Howard University’s College of
Pharmacy, Washington DC; Director, Global Medical Affairs, Shire Pharmaceuticals; Director,
Cardiovascular Field Medical Affairs, Sanofi-Aventis; National Director, Medical Sciences, Publicis; Senior Vice President, Medical Scientific Affairs, Cline, Davis & Mann; Neuroscience Consultant, Roche Pharmaceuticals; President, Horizon Medical Solutions and others. He founded, produced, directed, and hosted a popular radio program on AM WRC 980 in the Washington DC area, titled, “Ask the Pharmacy Doctor.”
Professor Oparaoji obtained his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Prior to
emigrating to the US, he worked in Nigeria as a pharmacist, at the General Hospital, Port Harcourt; Military Hospital, Rukuba, Jos; and Imarsel Chemical Company, Calabar. He has published several scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, supervised 15 doctoral theses and presented at several major scientific meetings. A few of his widely cited original, published clinical research works, include “Aminoglycoside volume of distribution in postoperative patients with septic shock”; “Appropriateness of a 4 mg/kg gentamicin or tobramycin loading dose in post-operative septic shock patients”; “Aminoglycoside pharmacokinetics in African-Americans with normal renal function”; and “Cost Benefit Analysis of Monitoring Serum Vancomycin Concentrations in a Teaching Hospital”
These works have contributed significantly in revolutionizing antibiotics dosing in critically ill patients and other special patient populations.
Chief Oparaoji, is a passionate pro-democracy and human rights advocate, who played a pivotal
role in ushering in Nigeria’s current democratic rule. As the leader of the Nigerian Democratic
Awareness Committee (NDAC), Eastern Mandate Union (EMU)-Abroad and a Chieftain of the
National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), in the US, he alongside other patriots, doggedly fought and dismantled Nigeria’s military dictatorships and subsequently facilitated enthronement of Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation. During these times, he represented the pro-democracy movement at key conferences, including the Council on Foreign Relations, New York; Norwegian Council on Africa, held in Oslo; Center for Strategic and International Studies; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Amnesty International; US Department of State; and the United States White House, all in Washington DC. He led the task force for developing the “Farewell to Poverty” plan – the strategic governing document for then President-Elect M.K.O. Abiola’s aborted administration. Professor Oparaoji was declared enemy of state by the Sani Abacha dictatorship and was barred from visiting Nigeria, hence was unable to be at his Father’s (Late Eze Cletus Ogbonna Oparaoji) burial.
Dr. Oparaoji is a recipient of numerous coveted awards for excellence, for his professional,
community service and civil society contributions. These include: Who’s Who among Students in
American Universities & Colleges; Honored Faculty and Excellence in Research Awards from
Howard University; Horizon Star Award from Sanofi Pharmaceuticals; One-Shire Award from Shire Pharmaceuticals. He was recognized among Top 50 Nigerians in the US and Canada, and
appointed Nigeria’s delegate to the 66 th , 67 th and 68 th UN General Assembly (UNGA), in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. Other awards include “Outstanding Leadership and Community Services Award” from Aladinma Mbaise, University of Nigeria Alumni Association and Nwannedinamba Association, all in Washington DC and others.
Professor Edward Oparaoji hails from the Oparaoji royal family of Amuzi Autonomous Community in Ahiara, Ahiazu-Mbaise, Imo State Nigeria. An Ezeji, he is also a recipient of several traditional titles, namely Onwazuruoha Amuzi, Ugwumba Mbaise and Kpakpando Ndiigbo Gburu-gburu. A philanthropist. Prince Oparaoji, is the first of four children of Their Royal Highnesses, Late Eze Cletus and Ugoeze Dorothy Oparaoji. He is married and they have a son.
