EMPOWERING NIGERIA’S HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE: A TALE OF TRIUMPH AND GRATITUDE

The convocation ceremonies held December 12 and 14, 2024 respectively at the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife marked a significant milestone in the journey of the 19 exceptional beneficiaries of the groundbreaking nurse-educator scholarship program launched in 2023 by the tag-team of Health Carousel Foundation and National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America. Of the first five beneficiaries to graduate under the initiative, three of them – Taiwo Olajumoke Abosede, Aladenola Folashade Fehintola and Dare Olanike Temitayo earned the postgraduate diploma in nursing education [PGDNE] certificate from the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City; while the other two – Arike Adebola Bolarinwa and Fatanmi Similoluwa Judith graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife with the postgraduate diploma in education [PGDE]. The rest 14 beneficiaries domiciled in the following institutions – University of Uyo, National Open University, and Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, shall ultimately be celebrated at convocation ceremonies to be variously scheduled by their respective institutions in 2025 in line with their individual academic calendar.

To this, while Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe had awarded their allotted charges the postgraduate diploma in education [PGDE] back in October 2024 – upon fulfillment of all requirements thereto, the award had been without the usual convocation ceremony. However, upon inquiry into why that was, one of the scholarship beneficiaries under the college, Nurse Obianuju Okafor, explained that the system operates the combined-convocation culture – wherein graduates of several academic sessions are lumped together for a formal ceremony at a date usually determined by the institution’s Senate.

In a related development, Nurse Akpan Itoro, a beneficiary under the University of Uyo’s Institute of Education, speaking on behalf of her six colleagues, upon our inquiries, revealed ‘’the university had already conducted our convocation on Thursday, November 7th 2024’’. She apologized for not informing NANNNA and its counterparts of the event.

Back to the charges of UNIMED and OAU, it was the height of glory for these five dedicated professionals, beneficiaries, and alumni of the prestigious nurse-educator scholarship program that has since turned to an annual academic philanthropy – meant to equip selected graduates of nursing science with the knowledge, skill, and expertise to revolutionize Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.’’

ON UNIMED: DECEMBER 12 AND 13, 2024

UNIMED [PGDNE] Graduates with faculty leaders and Dr. Ojiaku Kalu (NANNA representative

For the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, the 2-day event started on Thursday, December the 12th with the conferment of undergraduate and graduate degrees after an academic procession, and commencement speech titled, ‘’THE WEALTH OF A NATION: The Nigerian Reality’’, delivered by Ms Ngozi Edozien – Managing Director, InVIVo Partners Limited, Lagos, in which she charged the new graduates to take charge of their country by investing their boundless energy and youth in their chosen careers; and staying patriotic while at it.

Day 2 of the ceremony – Friday December the 13th, started with the investiture of the pioneer Chancellor of the university, in the person of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo – CFR, MD [The Paramount Ruler of Ondo Kingdom]. After his installation and acceptance speech, the revered monarch was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] alongside the following dignitaries: His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa – the Executive Governor of Ondo State; His Excellency, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko – CON, former governor of the State, in whose administration the University of Medical Sciences [UNIMED] was founded in 2014; and Chief Isaac Akintade, JP – an industrialist and philanthropist, in recognition of their immense contributions to the development of the 10 year-old university. The ceremony would eventually come to a close with the presentation of Olarenwaju Sunday Olakunle as the first PhD product of UNIMED, whose dissertation is in public health.

Of the many names enlisted in the graduation brochure, three – Abosede Taiwo Olajumoke, Aladenola Folasade Fehintola, and Dare Olanike Temitayo were awarded the postgraduate diploma in nursing education [PGDNE] – under the sponsorship of Health Carousel Foundation. Interestingly, this reporter was proudly informed by Dr. Mayowa Elemile, UNIMED’s Faculty of Nursing Postgraduate Coordinator, that the three beneficiaries of the Health Carousel-NANNNA scholarship came top of their class of six graduates with the highest CGPA scores. She attributed their outstanding performances to the scholarship award – as they didn’t have to scramble for the requisite tuition. Plus, of course, they had to put in extra work to justify the financial investments on them by the foreign organizations. Indeed, this report on their excellence performance would be corroborated by a letter signed by Dr. Mary Idowu Edward – Dean of the university’s Faculty of Nursing Science. This development has buoyed up many undergraduate students of nursing science – especially in the hosting institutions of the 1st Cohort, to be more studious in the hope of making the NANNNA-Health Carousel scholarship list when the time comes.

    Dean Mary Edward’s letter

As has been explained earlier, this scholarship initiative is a partnership between Health Carousel Foundation and NANNNA; and has been hailed as a game-changer in the country’s healthcare system. The managements of Obafemi Awolowo University [OAU] and University of Medical University at their respective crowd-pulling events expressed profound gratitude to Health Carousel and NANNNA – sponsors and managers of the now annual program, for their thoughtfulness in empowering Nigeria’s healthcare workforce through the scheme.

In a chat at the end of the first day, the Vice Chancellor [President] of UNIMED, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi – B.Sc., MBChB [Ife], MPH[Hadassah], PhD[Ibadan], FWACP, MD, FNAMed, FAS, was enthusiastic in his thanks to Dr. Ojiaku Kalu, NANNNA-Health Carousel’s representative at the occasion: ‘’We are deeply grateful for the support and investment in our nurse-educators’’, ‘’this scholarship initiative has not only enhanced the skills and knowledge of our preceptors and clinic instructors, but also demonstrated the power of collaboration on academic frontiers and attendant philanthropy toward molding new entrants into the nursing profession to transform lives and communities.’’

‘’Indeed, Health Carousel Foundation’s intuitiveness in identifying the need area in our country’s health system and her magnanimity in not only providing the purse for the first cohort but also increasing [as I have been informed] the number of beneficiaries in each successive cohort – with consequential budgeting thereto, is noteworthy. Special commendation must [also] go to NANNNA for its impeccable management of the scholarship program. For these bold and laudable efforts of theirs, the two organizations have entrenched themselves as Nigeria’s sustainable development partners.’’ 

During his opening speech at Day 2 of the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of UNIMED, Professor Adesegun Fatusi, in the following video clip, had some additional kind words for NANNNA and its partner’s contributions to building the capacity of Nigeria’s healthcare professionals.                       

 

From available records, the nurse-educator scholarship was floated in 2021 by the USA-based Health Carousel Foundation as a ‘’give back scheme’’ to the continent of Africa. The Foundation first tested the initiative in Kenya from the period under review; and with its resounding success in that country began talks with NANNNA in 2022 with a view to replicating it in Nigeria. The project would eventually be launched in Nigeria in 2023 with selection of participating institutions and ultimate admission of the 19 pioneer beneficiaries therein. Like the wildfire in winter, the nurse-educator program has since gained grounds among professional nurses, medical doctors, and health-training institutions in Nigeria. The formal release of these ‘’soldiers’’ into the country’s healthcare ecosystem is therefore the crowning of that praiseworthy vision of Health Carousel Foundation’s – now being expressed through NANNNA’s managerial integrity.

The University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, with the rare advantage of pioneering the all-medical programs in the country’s higher education system 10 years ago, has become many an aspirant’s institution of first choice – especially in the last five years; and has [not surprisingly] made history thereon as the first institution in Nigeria to gift to Health Carousel and NANNNA the substance of their shared dream of breeding sure-footed educators in the nation’s nurse-training institutions.

Group photographs with UNIMED VC, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi [middle]

The new graduates, beaming with pride and gratitude, shared their experiences and aspirations. ‘’This scholarship has been a life-changing opportunity for me in particular and I am sure my colleagues as well’’, said Nurse Abosode Taiwo Olajumoke – who incidentally emerged the overall best candidate in her program of postgraduate diploma in nursing education with a 74.24 CGPA Distinction score. ‘’I am now equipped with the expertise and confidence to make a meaningful impact in the lives of my patients and students – in line with the shared vision of Health Carousel and NANNNA, our sponsors and managers respectively.

A colleague of hers, Aladenola Fehintola Folashade, added: ‘’ For me, I lack words to express my gratitude for the kind gesture extended to us by Health Carousel and NANNNA by sparing a thought for the nation’s healthcare sector – especially in building the capacity of our local nurses. History will record them with kindness!’’

  OAU IFE: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2024

As is usual for such an academic ceremony, the program of the day started with a procession of every Department in the School of Postgraduate Studies at about 10:17am. N/B: this date [14/12/2024] was specifically planned by the Management of the university in exclusion of the undergraduates who had earlier had their outing in the week. Graduating students of each program in the School of Postgraduate Studies – led by their Program Officer, marched with pride into the famous ODUDUWA HALL, venue for the occasion.

No sooner had the procession settled inside the hall than the entire assemblage stirred again at the announcement of the arrival of Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, and her large entourage of first ladies of several states with their retinue of courtiers. Anyone conversant with the OAU community knows how revered Oluremi Tinubu is there. Since attaining national prominence upon her husband’s administration as governor of the State of Lagos between 1999 and 2007, Mrs. Tinubu, a 1985 alumna of the then University of Ife, has been trumpeted by that community as one of its prime ambassadors. That the First Lady of Nigeria was attending this ceremony underscored its importance in the annals of her alma mater.

So it was that the two NANNNA-Health Carousel scholarship beneficiaries – Adebola Bolarinwa Arike [EDP21/22/H/197] and Fatanmi Similoluwa Judith [EDP21/22/H/0510] had the honor of sharing that hallowed audience with the country’s First Lady – who by the way, was in attendance ostensibly to be conferred with the degree of PhD in public administration [Honoris Causa] – in recognition of her manifold contributions to the university. Besides the First Lady, the other notable person at the ceremony was His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll – Ooni of Ife and spiritual head of the Yoruba people worldwide.

And the two beneficiary nurses and proud possessors of postgraduate diploma in education of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife overwhelmed with joy expressed their gratitude for [the] charity that Health Carousel and NANNNA provided for their career growth – as found in the following video clips.

 

While Dr. Olawale Jimoh, Head of Personnel [Office of the Registrar] Obafemi Awolowo University, was on hand to receive the NANNNA-Health Carousel team on the campus, the rest senior officers of the university were inevitably preoccupied with the visits of the First Lady as well as the Ooni of Ife. However, Dr. Okewole, standing in for the Director of the university’s Institute of Education, sent the following message via whatsapp: ‘’ having heard so much about NANNNA as an organization of Diaspora Nigerian nurses and its scholarship scheme with Health Carousel Foundation meant to improve the capacity of Nigerian nurses, it was a delight to have on our campus their representatives in the persons of Dr. Esther Oshunluyi and Dr. Ojiaku Kalu during the 48th Convocation of students of our postgraduates [of which some beneficiaries of the scholarship program are products of our Institute of Education]. I have the authority of my Director, Professor Hannah Ajayi, who is away on sabbatical, to extend her gratitude to the two organizations for their unsolicited charity, and to request for its sustainability – even as we ask for the continual inclusion of students of OAU in the coming years.’’  

Group photographs with Dr. Olawale Jimoh, Head of Personnel, OAU.

The successful completion of their postgraduate studies by these exceptional nurse-educators marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s quest for improved healthcare outcomes – which had been in great deficit for several years running. As they embark on their respective careers, they will undoubtedly play crucial roles in shaping the country’s healthcare landscape. Interestingly, while some practicing nurses had over time attained requisite qualifications to earn the appellation, ‘’nurse-educators’’, never had there been such a concerted intention at deepening the specialization in the country as the present effort by Health Carousel-NANNNA! 

Speaking to the press on the sideline of the OAU convocation ceremony, Dr. Esther Oshunluyi, a NANNNA executive who graced the occasion from her base in California, USA, said: ‘’The addition of these empowered nurses to the healthcare workforce will undoubtedly have a profound impact on patient care. We are proud to have played a part in their journey and look forward to witnessing the transformative impact they will have on Nigeria’s healthcare.’’

In proof of its determination to deepen its corporate social responsibility in Africa, especially Nigeria, the Health Carousel Foundation in league with NANNNA, has increased the 2025 beneficiaries to 50 – indeed, a significant jack up from the 19 beneficiaries that made the 1st Cohort. And NANNNA, in its famed effetiveness, is working to surpass the success of the inaugural cohort.  

As the pioneer cohort graduates embark on their new journey, they carry with them the gratitude and appreciation of their sponsors, universities, and the nation’s healthcare community. Their success is indeed a testament to the power of collaboration, philanthropy, and dedication to excellence.

        ADDED VALUE OF THE SCHEME

The importance of a preceptor and clinical instructor possessing the nurse-educator qualification – as being promoted by the duo of Health Carousel and NANNNA, cannot be overemphasized – given that it is now central to every College or Department of Nursing Science attaining the accreditation status of the National Universities Commission [NUC] to continue to admit students therein; or be scraped from the system. N/B: this was not initially factored into the scholarship by the promoters of the scholarship scheme; but that it is now such a critical consideration by the higher education regualtor in the training of Nigerian nurses is a gratifying value addition. To this end, some managers of Nigerian nursing institutions like Professor Iche Ukpai Kalu – Vice Chancellor of Evangel University Akaeze, and Dr. Ebere Nwanyia – Ag. Principal of UNTH School of Nursing Science, Enugu, give kudos to the Health Carousel Foundation and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America for their act of serendipity – which henceforth shall greatly enhance the chances of degree programs in nursing science to meet that aspect of NUC’s accreditation demand.

Now, apart from their academic relevance as mentioned above, nurse educators in Nigeria play a vital role in shaping the country’s healthcare landscape. They ensure quality patient care, address the perennial nurse shortage, build capacity, mentor students and beginners in the field of nursing; and generally contribute to healthcare policy and advocacy. Additionally, they promote research, evidence-based practice, and community health promotion – ultimately advancing the nursing profession and improving patient outcomes.

Prof. Leroy Edozien, Head of Department,  Health Law and Policy, UNIMED, is all upbeat over the NANNNA-Health Carousel’s launch of the scholarship project for nurse educators in Nigeria – describing it as ‘’a pioneering partnership that tackles one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare, paving the way for significant progress in the country.’’

DISCOVERY AND RECOMMENDATION

In the cause of travelling across states and interacting with graduates and undergraduates of nursing science on different campuses, one recurring topic in those conversations is the need for mentoring of new nurses by experienced professionals. According to most of those encountered, while a good number of them do exceptionally well in their academics, they often find themselves lost in the field of practice – as they are often buffeted with clinical challenges and in need of guidance. Nurse Chinaza Uzo, the overall best graduate of nursing science [2023/2024 Academic session] at Evangel University Akaeze, said: ‘’we young nurses need sustainable mentorship from experienced ones – from such experts as individual NANNNA members. Having followed NANNNA through your various reports, I believe those experts have much to teach new nurses back in Nigeria. While we may never make physical contact with them, reading stories of their experience [as may be written in a book] would suffice in guiding young nurses. This kind of help is still unavailable to young nurses in Nigeria.’’

It is therefore the informed opinion of this report for NANNNA, as a professional entity, to consider embarking on periodic publication of its ideals as FESTSCHRIFTS – in which a select group of member – to be featured in editions, would share their critical experiences in their given specializations by highlighting their successes, mistakes and lessons learned – to help readers in making guided decisions. This would help greatly, especially now that the nurse-educator project is up and running; and its beneficiaries now being released into the local healthcare system.