A Presentation
A PAPER PRESENTED AS GUEST SPEAKER AT THE FOURTH
EMERITUS PROFESSOR CHUKWUEDU NWOKOLO PRIZE FOR
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE/ANNUAL LECTURE, OF THE COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS.

ON

THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY, 2009

BY

DOZIE IKEDIFE (IKENGA NNEWI) B.SC (LOND) MB, CH.B (GLAS)
FMCOG, FWACS, FRCOG, FLS, FISCTS (HON) FORMER READER
O/G NAU, AWKA. C.M.D., IKEDIFE SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, NNEWI, NIGERIA

PROTOCOL:

I am delighted and feel very honoured to be invited to share some of my random thoughts on Age and Upliftment of medical education with you under the umbrella of Guest Speaker at the Fourth Emeritus Professor Chukwuedu Nwokolo Annual Lecture.  I thank the Provost and the Faculty for inviting me.  But I feel intimidated by the whole exercise because of the man himself and the two previous lectures.  The last, Professor Anezi Okoro; author of several non-medical books and medical research articles and Professor of Dermatology conjures awe because he went via Methodist College Uzuakoli to DMGS Onitsha enroute to University College Ibadan before going to Medical Institutions in UK for completion of his undergraduate and post graduate medical studies.  He has since been immersed in clinical practice, research and teaching as well as indulging in book publications.  The one before him, Emeritus Professor Festus Nwako is equally intimidating.  He created worldwide waves by his dexterity in paediatric surgery including separation of conjoint twins and authorship of many books as well as presidency of West African College of Surgeons, and Vice-Chancellorship of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.  He has seen it all. All the other lecturers are academic giants and men of social distinction.

The person in whose honour the lectureship is instituted is also an academic colossus; Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Chukwuedu Nwokolo.  He is the first son in the Nwokolo dynasty of Oraifite in Anaedo Clan in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.  He was educated at Government College, Umuahia, Higher College Yaba, and subsequently Medical Institutions in UK and USA.  In those days, only the top brains in Nigeria’s best secondary schools ever eyed Higher College Yaba.  Of these only few of the best could enter; and only the superlatives of the best stayed the course and qualified with the Licentiate of the Medical School.  Of the few that came out in 1947, Prof. Nwokolo was one.  Great respect was accorded anybody who made it into Yaba and those who qualified were worshiped like gods in spite of frustrating limitations the colonial administration imposed on this band of most brilliant Nigerians.  However they were all household names.  I can easily recall some names of such people like Drs. Adenuga, Ekwulugwo, Ezekwe, Diette-Spiff, Onubogu, Onuaguluchi, Soleye, Nwokolo and so on.

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