Last Sunday as I watched a report on the commissioning of the Sir Olu Okeowo Physiotherapy Centre, donated by the philanthropist after whom the building was named, my heart and every fibre of my being prayed for this great soul.

Recently, I had cause to visit the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the beneficiary of this soul-lifting gift. I wept inside inconsolably when I saw the extent to which an institution that is supposed to be a flagship of Nigeria’s medical facilities, has been mindlessly desecrated.

It was a complete disaster. From the derelict gate to the shabby road network, fading paints on the buildings, obsolete facilities, the ill-equipped wards, the dysfunctional elevators and the air of jaded pessimism, the mildest expression one could use to describe the systemic rot in LUTH is DECREPIT. The only glimmer of hope in LUTH, illuminated by the regular water and electricity supply, is the quality of medical personnel. The LUTH consultants are probably among the best in the world.

How did we descend this abysmally low? I kept soliloquizing. My mind quickly raced to government and I wondered why no substantial effort has been made to revamp LUTH if indeed health is central to the welfare of the people, enshrined in our constitution as one of the 2 most important responsibilities of government. My thought flicked to the Minister for Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole and I wondered why the same man who excelled as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan is floundering because in all good conscience, no one can claim that a minister under whose watch such an institution further degenerated is a phenomenal success. My probing thought perched on President Muhammadu Buhari and I wondered if he knew how shockingly low LUTH had sunk.

An insider in LUTH told me the teaching hospital generates sufficient funds to run efficiently but the bulk is remitted to the federal purse. As noble as the Treasury Single Account is, the Federal Government may have to work out a solution that will enable federal medical centers to work seamlessly. This is so crucial because life is involved. How can LUTH exist on borrowed ventilators, the appliance for artificial respiration, required sometimes after surgery.

Finally, I wondered why many of our fabulously rich men and successful businesses find it so difficult to invest in this type of philanthropy. Since it’s impossible for anyone to travel on the journey to the great beyond with earthly possessions, isn’t it more fulfilling to therefore leave glowing memories of their great deeds behind?

LUTH is such a colossal disaster that out of about five elevators servicing the three-story building that connects the private ward and the operating theatres, only one works with laborious human efforts.

Even then, the operator manually installs and removes one of the door panels before people can enter or exit the “functional” elevator. There are for instance thousands of Nigerians who can conveniently donate elevators to LUTH or other medical institutions in the country in need of such.

This is why the Olu Okeowo intervention in LUTH is so exceptional. Someone close to his family had brought to his attention how some students in LUTH were studying under the tree.

That piece of information devastated him and he made up his mind to donate a facility which today is probably the most modern and definitely the freshest breath of air in LUTH. The ‘brand new’ building now accommodates the Department of Physiotherapy at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

Another private/corporate facility close to this is the Guinness Eye Centre which was donated to LUTH in 1992. Guinness followed this up with the donation of a pair of slit lamps to the management of LUTH early last year. I urge the management of Guinness to do whatever it can to support LUTH in restoring the glory of that facility. Even the blind can see that a fresh coat of paint will do wonders not only to the Guinness building but the forlorn and pathetic ambience pervading LUTH.

Like they say, I do not know Sir Olu Okeowo from Adam (with the power of TV though, one could probably recognise him outside), but what he did was enough to move me to pray for him and I beseech any Nigerian who can spare a moment to also pray for him and his family for he is a good man with the heart of gold.

The officiating priest at the dedication of the building said the philanthropist has similarly planted his kindness elsewhere including the University of Lagos. It was even said that Sir Okeowo’s donation is the single largest contribution by an individual to the University of Lagos. What a jolly good fellow!!! https://www.makeitglobal.biz/olu-okeowos-career/

Okeowo the occultist.
Strong Ogboni man.