Dr. Ekopimo O. Ibia was a physician-scientist who contributed a great deal to the medical community throughout his life.

Dr. Ibia attended medical school at the University of Nigeria, Enugu from 1974 to 1980. In 1980, he obtained an MBBS (MD) degree with a distinction in surgery. Following his MBBS, he completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and became a fellow of the West African College of Physicians, specializing in pediatrics.

After completing his training in Nigeria, Dr. Ibia worked in Calabar, Nigeria for a few years as a consultant pediatrician before immigrating to Grenada in 1992 and continuing consulting there until 1993. In 1993, he proceeded to Liverpool, England for further postgraduate training and became a member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

His search for more learning not satisfied, Dr. Ibia crossed the Atlantic in 1996 to join the pediatric residency at Inova Fairfax Hospital as a senior resident. Dr. Ibia subsequently completed a fellowship in pediatric infectious disease, while simultaneously obtaining an MPH degree in international health policy from George Washington University.

In 1998, Dr. Ibia joined the Food and Drug Administration as a Medical Officer. He left the agency in 2004, after climbing the ranks to Lead Review Medical Officer, to join Merck & Co. At this renowned pharmaceutical company, Dr. Ibia first served as Director, Global Medical and Regulatory Policy and then as Principal Scientist, Medical Safety Review.

Among his many other accomplishments, Dr. Ibia was board certified both in pediatrics and pediatric infectious disease by the American Board of Pediatrics, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, co-chair of the International Network Committee of the Food and Drug Administration Alumni Association, a Clinical Pharmacology certificate recipient from the National Institutes of Health, an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, and an extensively published expert in peer-reviewed journals.

In mid-April 2016, Dr. Ibia was diagnosed with a rare disease called AL amyloidosis after months of vague symptoms. Unfortunately, the diagnosis came too late for quick and successful treatment. He died on June 14, 2016, an alien of extraordinary ability, having contributed much to the field of regulatory science and positively affected the lives of many in the United States, Nigeria and elsewhere around the world.