The University of Uyo (UNIUYO) is set to host its 128th Inaugural Lecture on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the main campus, as renowned pulmonologist and Professor of Medicine, Prof. Etete James Peters, prepares to unveil the hidden dangers and life-giving power of the air we breathe.
A statement by the 128th Inaugural Lecture Planning Committee disclosed that Prof. Peters, a Consultant Pulmonologist in the Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health Sciences, UNIUYO, will deliver the lecture titled: “The Air and Breath of Life or Death: Unraveling the Paradox of Human Survival.”
The lecture is expected to provoke deep reflection on the invisible yet vital element of human existence — air — while exposing how pollution, climate change and respiratory diseases now threaten the very breath that sustains life.
Organisers say the discourse will bridge medicine, environment and public health, with far-reaching implications for homes, industries and policy corridors.
Prof. Peters is widely respected for decades of outstanding contributions to respiratory medicine, medical education and public health advocacy.
A seasoned clinician, researcher and mentor, he has played pivotal roles in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary diseases across the Niger Delta and beyond.
Over the years, he has published extensively in reputable local and international journals, contributed to medical policy debates, and trained generations of doctors at the University of Uyo and the University of Calabar.
His areas of focus include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), environmental lung disorders and the growing impact of air pollution on human health.
Colleagues describe him as a passionate teacher, a meticulous researcher and a tireless advocate for improved respiratory care in Nigeria.
An abridged profile reveals that Prof. Peters holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. He also obtained certificates in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Medical Emergency Preparedness from Israel.
Administratively, he has served as Provost, College of Health Sciences, University of Uyo, and Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), positions through which he strengthened academic standards and healthcare delivery.
The Planning Committee described the upcoming event as a lecture with “global reach,” expected to attract academics, health professionals, environmental experts, policymakers, students and members of the public, as the subject matter cuts across medicine, climate and human survival.
To ensure wider participation, the lecture will be streamed live on UNIUYO’s official Facebook, YouTube and Instagram platforms, allowing audiences across Nigeria and beyond to follow the discourse.
The UNIUYO Inaugural Lecture Series remains one of the institution’s most cherished academic traditions, providing a platform for senior scholars to share original research, stimulate debate and contribute to national development.
As Prof. Peters prepares to take the podium, the university and the wider public are set to be reminded that the air we breathe so freely and often take for granted may indeed hold the ultimate key to life or death.
