Nigerians in the medical field came together recently to celebrate one of their own who has successfully seen all shades of the medical profession. She was the first Nigerian female Professor of Psychiatry and first female Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), Prof Olayinka Omigbodun who pulled out recently. BAYO AGBOOLA reports.
Monday, August, 19, this year no doubt stood out as one of the memorable days in the life of the first Nigerian female Professor of Psychiatry and first female Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), Professor Olayinka Omigbodun as she was honored for her remarkable achievements and track records in life particularly in the medical field.
That day, all road led to a grand celebration held at the Olubadan Hall of Academy Suites and Resources Hotel, Ibadan where medical luminaries, alumni and dignitaries were brought together to celebrate and pay tribute to Prof Omigbodun’s pioneering contributions at the get-together organised by Abib Olamitoye Foundation founded by a former president of the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association (ICOMAA) Worldwide and also the founder, Ibadan Central Hospital (ICH) and proprietor of Academy Suites and Resources Hotels located both in Ibadan and Abeokuta, respectively.
Prominent among eminent personalities at the get- together included husband of the honouree, Prof Akinyinka Omigbodun, who had also served as a Provost of the College; new Provost of the College, Prof Temidayo Ogundiran and his wife, Prof (Mrs) Mary Ogundiran; Dr Abib Olamitoye and his wife, Olubunmi and the current president of ICOMAA, Prof Emmanuel Otolorin, among others.
Honouree speaks
The first Nigerian female Professor of Psychiatry and first female Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI) while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the programme minced no words in expressing her joy about the honour and being celebrate by the medical gurus.
“I feel very relieved. It was a very tough four years as the Provost of College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. I started on the 1st August 2020 in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were all wearing face masks. Not only that; it was a time when there was a problem in the system, which was strike. In fact, there was a time that for 18 months, the universities were on strike. Then in-between the18 months, for eight months, no salary. I did not receive salary for eight months.
“So, trying to navigate an administration in the heart of a pandemic and strike and strife was extremely tasking, but I must say that I had an excellent team of people, particularly, I must commend the Deputy Provost, Prof Fatai Adeniyi, a Professor of physiotherapy. He is one you’ll call an implementer. I had a lot of ideas running from my mind and he was working with me solidly to implement them. I think that helped us.
“Another aspect that I must say was very helpful was the fact that we have an excellent group, the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association. In fact, Dr Abib Olamitoye is a past president ICOMAA. Prof Dipo Emmanuel Otolorin is the current president of ICOMAA.”
Prof Omigbodun maintained further that, “Our members are all over the world. We had 100 percent support from our alumni. We have chapters in North America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa and of course here in Nigeria. I think that the way to go when you have a problem of funding in any institution is to get the alumni on board.
“I feel relieved because I think we tried our best. We have a lot of landmark achievements that God gave us. Of course, I have handed over the baton to somebody else. As a Provost of the College, I felt very fulfilled that I dd my best. I treated the college passionately and with perseverance.”
Other speakers
The organiser of the event, Dr Abib Olamitoye while speaking said the University of Ibadan, the University College Hospital Ibadan and the College of Medicine were his origin as they they represented his alma mater.
“I did my first degree in Medicine and my second degree in Business Administration from University of Ibadan. I have been the past president of Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association (ICOMAA) Worldwide. Our love, our vision, our hope and our prayer stand as harmony for the various institutions.
“We also used the get-together to celebrate those who are upgrading our university, our college and our hospital. So, we have the provost that is outgoing. She has done a lot for the college and invariably for the university. So, we want to use this occasion to really let her know that we love her. We appreciate her and we treasure the achievements she has been able to make during her tenure.This gathering is to celebrate the progress that was made in the last four years by the Management Team of the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan which team was headed by my good friend and former classmate in the famous ‘Class of 85’, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun.
“Aside from being good friends, I have had the privilege of also working with her in two different capacities, first as members of the local organising committee for the 30th anniversary of our class graduation from the College of Medicine in 2015. I was the chairman of that committee while she was the secretary. Like I have testified over and over, Prof Omigbodun was the most pleasant and organised person I had ever worked with.”
The former president of ICOMAA, Dr Abib Olamitoye while praising Prof Omigbodun’s dedication and achievements said, “We want to let her know that we love her, appreciate her and treasure the progress she made during her tenure.”
The president of ICOMAA worldwide, Prof Emmanuel Otolorin in his remarks described the get-together as a joyous occasion.
“It’s always a pleasure to be recognised for service and I think that it’s been a good thing by the Olamitoyes to get us all together to look back and recognise the service of the first female Provost of the College of Medicine. She’s done very well and she needs to be applauded so as to encourage other people coming to the office, particularly women.
“It is always said that what a man can do, a woman can do better. She came into the office with her own style and with a passion and with a lot of skills to which we are all grateful. She has left the Provost Office of the College of Medicine better than she met it. The foundation she has laid would be worked upon by those who are succeeding her so that at the end of the day, all of the legacy projects that she started would be actualised.”
The new Provost of the College, Prof Temidayo Ogundiran congratulated Prof Omigbodun for the great legacies she left behind, assuring stakeholders that the college would continue to wax stronger during his tenure of office, adding that he came with ‘S7 Programme’ to build on the achievements of the past administrations in the college.
“Well, each administration has its own agenda and programmes. So, I have my own programmes for the College of Medicine which, during the political campaign, was tagged ‘S7′. It includes paying attention to students’ affairs, staff development and welfare, structural development, strategic partnership, service, oriented programmes and sustainability.
“All these points are encapsulated in what is referred to as ‘S7’ projects. Looking at the ‘S7’ projects, it encompasses everything that affects the in-and-out of the life of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.”
The president of ICOMAA, Prof Emmanuel Otolorin, described the occasion as a joyous celebration of service and commended Omigbodun for leaving the Provost Office better than she met it while the new provost, Prof Temidayo Ogundiran, congratulated Omigbodun and assured stakeholders that the college would continue to build on her legacies.
