While many academics chase citations, Dr Enema Onojah John spends nights policing them.

Over the past 18 months, the University of Uyo pharmacognosist has reviewed more than two dozen manuscripts for five international journals, earning twin Certificates of Excellence from the Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology and the International Journal of Research and Reports in Hematology, and many others.

“His feedback is both brutal and brilliant,” says Dr M. B. Mondal, managing editor of both titles.
Peer review is an invisible backbone of science, yet reliable referees are scarce.

“A strong review can save months of faulty follow-up studies,” notes Dr Enema, citing a recent Nature analysis that links meticulous reviews to 35 percent higher reproducibility.

Dr Enema’s expertise, 15+ peer-reviewed papers and two invited book chapters on phytochemical therapeutics make him particularly adept at spotting shaky statistics or questionable animal-ethics protocols.

One hematology submission recently hinged on incomplete ethical clearance. Dr Enema flagged the flaw, prompting authors to redo their animal-care documentation before publication.

Such vigilance, editors say, prevents costly retractions that tarnish Nigeria’s scientific reputation.

Recognition has come at home as well: the Nigerian Fire Extinguisher Control honoured him in 2024 for community safety outreach rooted in his scientific work.

“Gatekeeping is thankless but vital,” he tells reporters, juggling teaching, start-up duties, and six new review requests in his inbox.

“If our journals collapse under bad science, every lab in Nigeria pays the price.”