Meet The First African Professor of Optometry

 For many who perhaps may not know what optometry mean, it will be better to have a cursory idea about it before meeting the the accomplished personality.

Optometry is a specialized field in the healthcare line that specializes in examining the eyes and related structures for defects and anomalies.

Professor Doknan Danjuma Sheni: born in 1955, is of Taroh extraction in Plateau State, Nigeria. He is an educational veteran, with over 30 years experience in lecturing at the University level. a world record-breaker and a highly revered professional. Amongst the schools he attended were: Government College, Keffi and the University of Benin, Nigeria, where he obtained a B.Sc. in Optometry in 1978- making him the first Plateau State indigene to have such a qualification , and in 1984, he became the first African to obtain a Ph.D in Optometry. in 1994, at age 39, he rose to became a Professor- which gave him a double edge as he (firstly) became arguably the youngest ever Plateau State indigene to have risen to the rank of a Professor, and (secondly) the first African Professor of Optometry.

                                                                              Prof. D.D. Sheni

In 1984, he invented  an instrument to measure "Fusion Limits", for which he obtained Canadian Patent; he served in the first Nigerian University Commission Committee (1989) to draft MAS for science in Nigerian Universities; was instrumental (the key person) in the establishment of Doctor of Optometric Programme (OD) in Nigeria, 1988/1989, and also played a pivotal role in establishing Optometry at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana and UST, Kumasi, 1990. He was elected President, Association of Optometry  Society Educators, (AAOE), 1990-1994; first special Olympics Clinical Director in South Africa, 1999.

Africa's Representative on the Governing Board of World Council of Optometry (WCO)- 1995-2002; Recipient of the award titled "2000 International Optometrist of the Year " by the World Council of Optometry- making him the first Black African and African to receive such an award; Recipient of the Witelo Awards as the "Father of Optometry the World Over" in 2003; President-Elect  of the World Council of Optometry in Africa, 2002-2004 and President, World Council of Optometry- making him the first African and Black to hold the position; the Mayor of the City of Cartagena, Columbia presented Prof. Sheni "The Key to the City of Cartagena" in 2004 for his international humanitarian work.

Professor D.D. Sheni has lectured in Nigerian Universities of Benin, Imo, Abia; King Saud University, Saudi Arabi and University of Limpopo, South Africa. in all these Universities, his hands of proficiency were called upon to serve in many sensitive positions. While at the University of Limpopop, SA, he established linkages between the University and so many USA Universities. His services were also called at the Solomon Lar University, Bokkos, as Vice-Chancellor, where he initiated the most extensive Staff Development Programme, such that one person per Local Government Area in the State is sent out of the country every year for Ph.D. programme; signed the agreement to introduce Home Land Security Studies with the Israeli Institute and introduced the Faculty of Health at the University. To his credit, he has written academic and religious books, and has severally been invited as resource person in International Conferences across the world.