The Kaduna State Government has announced the death of Professor Jonathan Andrew Nok, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology who died in the early hours of today after a protracted illness.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state in a statement has described the late Professor as ‘one of the best this country has produced and one of the most committed persons to have served Kaduna State’.
He further described him as a man of intellect, ability and deep conviction who will be sorely missed.
"Nok was a pillar of the cabinet, a man as distinguished in learning as he was a capable administrator, adept at getting things done and dedicated to the progress of the state. He was steadfast, rigorous and very successful in implementing our project to improve Health and Education in the state. He will be sorely missed.”
El-Rufai who led members of the State Executive Council to visit and commiserate with the Nok family prayed God to comfort his family and grant his gentle soul peaceful repose.
The late Professor Nok was appointed Commissioner for health and human services in August 2015.
While in that office, he pushed the programme to equip 255 primary health centres with tools to save infants and pregnant women.
Following a cabinet reshuffle, he moved to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2016 where he also championed the renovation and rehabilitation of schools, the training of teachers and the provision of better learning aids.
The late commissioner was a professor of Biochemistry at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Acknowledged in the science community for his contributions, Professor Nok won the Alexander Humboldt prize in 2013 for his research into finding a cure for trypanosomiasis.
In 2009, he won the NLNG prize for identifying the gene responsible for the enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis). The Federal Government of Nigeria also honoured him with the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM).
