A few weekends ago…we attended the biannual Fund Raising dinner of the Ibadan Medical Specialists Group in London. I must admit – I have heard a lot about this aumni group of Nigeria’s oldest medical school. IMSG is a group of medical graduates from the University of Ibadan, based in England but with members from across the world.
I first met Lanre Ogunyemi a few years ago and he proudly told me about how the group had engaged with the Ibadan for years, donating a laptop, projector and photocopier to college every year, providing theatre outfits for medical students, subscriptions for medical journals for the Latunde Odekwu Library, travel fellowships for registrars and consultants and endowments for medical students….I really thought to myself that he was bluffing. We (Nigerians) love coming together to celebrate our alma Mata but to engage to this extent in its development was really unique.
Then a couple of years ago…I met another colleague; Jimi Coker. I invited Jimi to a private function but he gave his apologies saying that he was going for the most important trip of the several training missions he undertook every year. He was going “home” to Ibadan with a group of other Alumni for their annual symposium for medical students at the University of Ibadan! Kai…I thought…these guys are serious oh!
So when they invited me to their annual fund raising dinner this year…I jumped at it.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has…Margaret Mead