News

Of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Lab Professionals in Unity and the growth of the medical sector in Nigeria

Published

1 year ago

December 27, 2023

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Lab Professionals in Unity and the growth of the medical sector in Nigeria

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Often times, when the society through the media criticizes some professionals, some accept and make amends but others don’t. One of those who have turned their backs against criticism in Nigeria are medical Doctors. In their conceited nature, one major kite they have refused to allow to fly in the hospital workspace is the acceptance of other medical professionals becoming Chief medical Directors. Asked why? The response is always that the matter is now “policy” since it was enacted by the late Professor Olikoye Ransom Kuti while he was Minister of Health.

Only medical doctors can head hospitals in Nigeria for now. A professor of nursing or Pharmacy can’t for now. That is obviously not the right thing to do in contemporary medical practice but who will tamper with the system to bring the desired unity?

From investigations, medical doctors are the only professionals who hardly want to accept corrections even when handling red tape realms like the civil service administration in Nigeria which is not their natural tuff. And one may wish to ask why this lingering resistance?

Investigations reveal that, it is so because that is the way some of them are wired from their different medical schools. Those that passed out before 1980 are worse in their conservative thoughts while those who graduated between 1980 and 1990 seem to have been injected with more quality milk of humanity than their predecessors. Those who graduated after 1990 are better placed in the business of give and take and would readily accept the philosophy of reaching at a middle point with other partners in the health sector. That is why the very Britain that colonized us have changed these old fashion thoughts long ago by allowing other medical professionals head their schools. Recently a Nigerian born Professor of Nanoscience ijeoma Uchegbu has been appointed as the 7th President of Wolfson College, a constituent College of the University of Cambridge. This is a trained pharmacist turned researcher yet she has been given the chance even as a woman to head such a prestigious institution. Nobody said it must be a medical doctor because they are the senior partners at the top of the echelon.

It is only a wrong indoctrination from ungodly Professors that would make a General Practitioner (GP) assume he is next to God. But those who were trained by godly Professors will always keep at the back of their minds that God is the final healer. That means if a patient gets better it’s not because of their dexterity, it’s 60 percent the God factor. Sadly because of the acceptance of myriad of questionable contemporary practices which challenges what is known in the Holy books that God created only two sexes and not three or four, a lot of GP’s are now forced to see life from an ungodly position.

Nigerian doctors are some of the best in the world and they can be tempted to be involved in different forms of ungodly transformation of their guinea pig which is human beings such that we now have more than two sexes in the world. Now we have another group that calls itself “transgender” and they practice all forms of ungodliness like what they call Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual and transgender (LGBT). For God’s sake how can you tell me you were born to practice lesbianism? Where is approved in the holy books?

Because some of them had wrong indoctrinations from their trainings as GP’s we now have some who worry less about humanity and focus more on dominance and the pecuniary gains of the profession. When they make mistakes and you criticize them, they become less tolerant of their critics especially the gentlemen of the media. They believe they know it all and the media should not try to teach them their jobs. They suffer mostly in the new media when they goof because it’s a wider world out there.

On the contrary this resistance to criticisms occur while a couple of Nigerian Generals have become more tolerant to critics in the conventional and new media. One would expect generals to be more sensitive to criticism but they are mostly ready to change when criticized for doing wrongs.

Some medical Doctors who involve in sharp practices like fixing of stolen body parts from the thief to a new recipient would not want to be told that they are collaborating with criminals. This is because they do not make mistakes. But when the military makes mistakes especially during operations, like what happened in Kaduna recently, they do apologize. The most guilty of medical professionals are those especially who work with non governmental organizations (NGOs). In the 80’s some of them came out of medical school with that unfortunate superiority complex. But from the 90’s, things began to change. We thank God we are beginning to have a new generation of doctors who will accept failure when we tell them they have failed in any aspect meant to save lives. And would be in a hurry to correct it. The medical profession has not crossed into the good government situation yet and we must state it in black and white. This is because it is time we move from the let-my-people-go category to a level of excellence and merit.

It’s time for the GP’s and consultants to leave their high offices and allow others to head the health facilities in a rotational manner if need be. That is the only way we would benefit as a people from the health sector whether at stable times or emergencies. Sticking to their guns all the time is disadvantageous to the very people they claim to want to save with their acquired knowledge.

Of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Lab Professionals in Unity and the growth of the medical sector in Nigeria

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Borno Widows, Orphans Laud Gov Zulum Over Christmas Gifts

Published

12 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Borno Widows, Orphans Laud Gov Zulum Over Christmas Gifts

By Francis Okoye

Widows and orphans including less privileged in Maiduguri have lauded Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum for donating gift of N50,000 to over 250 of them for Christmas celebration.

The widows and orphans who were assembled on Tuesday, 24 December , at the pompomari area of Maiduguri, said the Governor’s benevolence has raised their hope of celebrating the festive period amid the economic crunch bedeveiling the citizens due to high cost of living.

Speaking, Maram Saleh who lost her husband four years ago, said she was thinking how she can even get some cups of rice and condiments for the Christmas before the Governor’s gesture came their way.

She therefore, lauded Governor Zulum for making the celebration a reality for so many of her kinds who are feeding from hand to mouth due to the loss of their bread winners, saying that she can now go home and celebrate the Christmas with her children with joy.

In the same sentiment, Patience Bitrus, a mother of five children who lost her husband at the pick of the Boko Haram insurgency, said her hope of celebrating the Christmas with members of her family was rekindled by the Governor’s benevolence.

” We are really grateful to Governor Zulum for coming to the aid of the widows and orphans especially, at this year’s Christmas when there is high cost of living and economic hardship. We will continue to pray for the Governor for more wisdom, good health and courage to continue to deliver dividends of democracy to the citizens as he has been doing,” she said.

Also speaking, trio of Eunice Onwuchekwe , Sarah Hakila and Elizabeth Ani, expressed their joy over the Governor’s gesture describing it as one of the best gifts coming their way.

The Coordinator/ Zonal Chairman Ohanaeze All Progressives Congress ( APC ) , Chief Ugochukwu Egwidike, commended Governor Zulum for coming to the aid of the widows, orphans and less with the Christmas gifts.

He noted that the Governor had been celebrating Christmas for the widows and orphans since 2020 to date with cash gifts, adding that 250 beneficiaries were targeted from benefiting from the gesture, but due to the harsh economic reality facing people of the country , more people turned up to benefit from the gesture. End

The Secretary of the Ohanaeze APC Support Group, Asiwaju Alabi , expressed gratitude to Governor Zulum for providing free transport scheme to 710 non indigenes in the State to travel to their various States for the celebration of Christmas and new year with their loved ones, as well as the cash gifts to the widows and orphans in the State.

Borno Widows, Orphans Laud Gov Zulum Over Christmas Gifts

Crime

Four Drug Lords Get 28 Years in Jail, Forfeit VGC Houses, Large Cash

Published

12 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Four Drug Lords Get 28 Years in Jail, Forfeit VGC Houses, Large Cash

By: Michael Mike

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has gotten for drug kingpins arrested in connection with the historic seizure of 2,139.55 kilogrammes of cocaine at an Ikorodu residential estate in 2022.

They were convicted by a Federal High Court, Lagos presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro who sentenced them to various jail terms totaling 28 years with hard labour.

The convicts: Soji Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44, a Jamaican, were charged with six counts in charge number: FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December 2022, while the trial of the fifth suspect, Oguntolure Sunday arraigned along with them is still ongoing in court.

The charges border on conspiracy to form and operate a drug trafficking organisation (DTO); management and financing of a DTO; importation and possession of 2,139.55 kilogrammes of cocaine, among others.

A press statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi read: operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA had in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation on Sunday 18th September, 2022 raided a house located at 6 Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, Lagos where the over 2.1 tons of cocaine were seized, the largest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s anti-narcotic operations.

He added that the drug kingpins were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between the night of Sunday 18th and Monday 19th September, 2022.

Babafemi said after over two years of diligent prosecution, the trial judge handed the Jamaican, Kelvin Smith four years imprisonment with hard labour; Emmanuel Chukwu got a total of 16 years; Soji Oke got five years with hard labour and Wasiu Akinade three years with hard labour.

He disclosed that the trial judge however gave the convicts varying options of fine with the exception of one of them who will serve his full jail term without an option of fine.

Babafemi said they were also to forfeit a grey colour Toyota Tacoma SUV marked AAA-734HT registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu; $50,000:00 belonging to Chukwu; N55,099,509.50 also belonging to Chukwu; the sum of N9,003,168.06 belonging to Wasiu Akinade and N3,052,295.20 also belonging to Akinade.

The spokesman said the agency also in another suit marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024 and filed before Justice Bogoro on 9th December 2024 after an initial interim forfeiture order, secured the final forfeiture of two houses linked to members of the drug cartel.

The trial judge said: “That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number 6 Olokunola Street, Sholebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 2A, 2B, and 2C attached to this application used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55 kilogrammes (More Than Two Tons) Cocaine, an illicit substance similar to Heroin and LSD.

“That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1,
Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lagos, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 3 attached to this application reasonably believed to be bought with proceeds derived
from trafficking in illicit drug substances (proceeds of crime) as in relief 1 of this Motion.

“That an Order is granted directing the sale or disposal by any other means provided by law of the forfeited House/Landed Property by the Applicant and the payment of the proceeds therefrom to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending all the officers and men of the agency involved in the extensive investigation and prosecution of members of the drug cartel, said the case is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they’ll not only go to jail but will equally lose all their investments in illicit drug consignments including all the properties and wealth acquired through the criminal trade.

Four Drug Lords Get 28 Years in Jail, Forfeit VGC Houses, Large Cash

News

Niger Republic’s Military Leader’s Allegations Against Nigeria Are Baseless – FG

Published

13 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Niger Republic’s Military Leader’s Allegations Against Nigeria Are Baseless – FG

By: Mohammed Idris

The Federal Government of Nigeria strongly rejects allegations made in a viral video by the military leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, claiming non-existent collusion between Nigeria and France to destabilize his country.

These claims exist solely in the realm of imagination, as Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France – or any other country – to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize the Niger Republic in the wake of the undemocratic change in the leadership of that country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), as Chairman of ECOWAS, has demonstrated exemplary leadership, keeping the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engaging Niger Republic despite the political situation in the country. Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger.

Nigeria’s Armed Forces, in collaboration with partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force, are succeeding in curbing terrorism within the region. It is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Nigeria would conspire with any foreign power to undermine the peace and security of a neighbouring country.

Neither the Nigerian government nor any of its officials has ever been involved in arming or supporting any terror group to attack Niger Republic. Furthermore, no part of Nigeria has been ceded to any foreign power for subversive operations in Niger Republic. We reiterate our full support to senior Nigerian government officials for their untiring commitment to fostering peace and security between the government and people of Nigeria and Niger, and for their efforts towards stronger cooperation in the ECOWAS region.

Indeed, Nigeria has a long-standing tradition of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Unlike some nations, Nigeria has never permitted foreign powers to establish military bases on its soil. This demonstrates our commitment to national independence and regional leadership.

The accusation that Nigeria seeks to sabotage Niger’s pipelines and agriculture is both unfounded and counterproductive. Nigeria has consistently supported Niger’s economic development through joint energy and infrastructure projects, such as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and the Kano-Maradi Railway Project. It is illogical to suggest that Nigeria would undermine initiatives it has actively promoted.
The claims about the alleged establishment of a so-called Lakurawa terrorist headquarters in Sokoto State, purportedly orchestrated by Nigeria in collaboration with France, are baseless. Nigeria has been a regional leader in combating terrorism, dedicating significant resources and lives to ensure stability in the Lake Chad Basin and beyond.

Recently, the Nigerian military launched Operation Forest Sanity III, specifically addressing the Lakurawa threat, Code Named Operation Chase Lakurawa Out. How can a government actively fighting the Lakurawa menace now be accused of harbouring the same group within its borders? These accusations lack credible evidence and seem to be part of a broader attempt to deflect attention from Niger’s internal challenges.

The public is urged to disregard these false allegations. Those making such claims, particularly the Military Leader in Niger Republic, must provide credible evidence to substantiate them. Any attempt to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s principled stance against the unconstitutional seizure of power in the Niger Republic is both disingenuous and doomed to fail.

In conclusion, President Tchiani’s allegations are not only unfounded but also a dangerous attempt to divert attention from his administration’s shortcomings. Nigeria remains committed to fostering regional stability and will continue to lead efforts to address terrorism and other transnational challenges. We urge Niger to focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration rather than peddling baseless accusations.

Niger Republic’s Military Leader’s Allegations Against Nigeria Are Baseless – FG