Gbenro Adesina
The fundraising drive by the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI) in partnership with the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association Worldwide (ICOMAA-WW), towards building a students’ hostel for the medical students of the institution got a monumental boost on Monday, August 1, 2022, with the donation of $1million by USA based Professor Philip O. Ozuah.
The donation made by the donor on zoom on behalf of his family after acknowledging his wife and children was made at the sod-turning ceremony of the hostel, an event slated to mark the beginning of the third year of the administration of the College’s First Female Provost, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun.
The donation was stated to be in response to a request from the Provost to the alumni of CoMUI to come together and help build a much-needed new hostel for students of CoMUI.
Earlier, at different fora, Omogbodun had lamented the lack of accommodation space for about 50 per cent of the clinical students in the college, assuring that the college is working with some stakeholders to construct a new hostel with over 600 rooms.
The donor, a classmate of the provost, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York and an alumnus of the Graduating Class of 1985 on the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme in CoMUI.
Ozuah is President and CEO of Montefiore Medicine, the umbrella organization for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Montefiore Health System’s 13-member hospitals, 300 clinical locations with 7.5 million patient encounters per year. He was also Fund Raiser- in-Chief at the event.
Earlier, delivering the keynote lecture, titled, “From Initiative to Finitiative – An Academic Journey”, Ozuah told the story of his journey starting from his studentship in the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), to his present status as President and CEO of Montefiore Medicine which includes Albert Einstein College of Medicine, one of the USA’s premier centres for research, medical education and clinical investigation.
Speaking on the five dimensions of a CEO, he listed the dimensions as being a Predictor, Builder, Ambassador, Communicator and Determinator, using personal examples from his journey for illustration.
Unable to hold back their joy at the generous donation, the elated dignitaries hailed the donor and showered encomium on him.
Among those who expressed their unreserved delight at the donation and the inspiring lecture was the institution’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Chief John E.K. Odigie-Oyegun, the President of ICOMAA Worldwide, Professor Emmanuel ‘Dipo Otolorin, a former President of ICOMAA Worldwide, Dr Abib Olamitoye and a classmate of the donor and the student leaders.
The event was wrapped up with dancing and the cutting of a commemorative cake.
It was gathered that the donor has redeemed the pledge.
