Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
THE Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Professor Kayode Adebowale, has praised retiring Chief Nursing Officer of the University’s Health Service (UHS), Pastor Mrs Titilola Adenike Oni, for exemplifying the institution’s core values of excellence, integrity and service, describing her decision to donate to the clinic upon retirement as an uncommon act of selflessness.
Professor Adebowale made the remarks during a retirement and 65th birthday celebration held in honour of Mrs Oni at the Public Health Building of the University Health Service, popularly known as Jaja Clinic, on July 2.
The event drew the University’s Registrar, senior management officials, colleagues, family members, church associates and other well-wishers.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice Chancellor, said his attendance at the ceremony was divinely orchestrated after discovering that the celebrant’s husband, Pastor Lawrence Oni, was someone who had unknowingly assisted his family years earlier.
”My coming here is for a reason God has orchestrated. Imagine that the husband of the celebrant is one of my fathers in the Lord! I never knew it. He was very useful in the past when I didn’t even know him. My daughter had visited him and he had helped pull out one or two teeth over a decade ago,” he said.
Professor Adebowale described the atmosphere at the event as unlike any retirement ceremony he had attended.
”I’m not sure if any event like this that I’ve attended was like this. The way our sister, the celebrant, was ushered into the venue speaks volumes about who she is, her personality and character. Not everybody would enjoy this privilege,” he said.
He noted that the University of Ibadan is built on three pillars of excellence, integrity and service, adding that Mrs Oni had demonstrated all three throughout her career.
The Vice Chancellor particularly commended the retiree for donating a large smart plasma television to the clinic despite leaving active service.
”The Director of the University Health Centre told me that the retiree is going to donate a gift to the clinic, which is very rare. It is unusual because when someone is retiring from work, people would want to give gifts. She is going, yet she is giving back to her place of work,” he said.
Describing nursing as “a profession of the heart and the eyes”, Professor Adebowale, who made an undisclosed, personal cash donation to the celebrant, said the university could never fully repay the years of dedicated service rendered by Mrs Oni.
”There is no way UI can pay for the services you have rendered. All we can say is that the Lord will go with you and continue to bless you,” he added, while also thanking Pastor Lawrence Oni for supporting his wife throughout her career.
The University’s Registrar, Mr J.O. Saliu, described the retiree as hardworking and cheerful, saying she had remained youthful despite attaining retirement age.
”She doesn’t look 65. She’s been ageless. I’ve known her for 12 years. She’s hardworking, never complaining and has been living the Nurses’ Anthem. I believe the newly recruited nurses would have learnt a lot from her,” he said.
Chairman of the Board of Health, Professor Sina Oládòkun, said the massive turnout at the ceremony reflected the impact Mrs Oni made during her years of service.
”The way and manner people have come to celebrate with her is unprecedented. It shows she was good and diligent in her service. The people she’s leaving behind should improve on her legacy,” he said.
Earlier, the Head of the University Health Service, Dr Aderonke Ajav, praised the retiring nurse’s patience, professionalism, kindness, tolerance, teamwork and spiritual commitment before unveiling the smart plasma television donated by the celebrant to the clinic.
In her biography, read by Dr CNO Akinpelu, Mrs Oni was described as “a visionary leader committed to the legacy of diligence”, “a woman of God with grace and compassion”, and one who had “set a standard of excellence”.
Emotional tributes also flowed from colleagues, family members and friends.
One member of staff recounted how Mrs Oni saved his career after he got into disciplinary trouble and later helped him overcome a smoking habit by quietly placing a book titled The Reason You Must Stop Smoking on his desk instead of publicly confronting him.
The worker also revealed that when temporary staff members were disengaged in 2002, Mrs Oni and her family gave him financial support to start a business before helping him regain his appointment.
”Without her, I would have been a nobody today,” he said.
A female medical doctor at Jaja Clinic described the retiree as “our Florence Nightingale”, saying she embodied love, kindness and humility.
”I’ve never seen her angry or raise her voice. She’s pleasant to work with,” the doctor added.
Speaking on behalf of the family, the celebrant’s youngest son, Tomi, thanked his mother for raising her children in the fear of God.
”We’re what we are today because of our mum. She taught us diligence, sacrifice and the word of God,” he said.
Her husband, Pastor Lawrence Oni, described his wife as a woman of quiet strength.
”Somebody asked me how I would describe my wife. I said she’s a woman; everything about a woman, she is. She looks quiet but she’s very strong inside and outside. I thank God for giving her to me,” he said.
In an emotional response, Mrs Oni recounted surviving a fatal road accident in 2004 while travelling for pre-NUGA Games duties and twice overcoming COVID-19 despite temporarily losing her sight.
”I would have died, but God spared my life,” she said of the road accident.
Reflecting on her battle with COVID-19, she said: “When you see me dancing and rejoicing, you may not understand. God has been so good to me.”
The ceremony also featured musical renditions by the Jaja Clinic choir, a drama presentation highlighting Mrs Oni’s diligence and meticulousness, and a birthday cake cutting to mark her 65th birthday, courtesy of a donor.
Guests, led by compère MC Kizzy, described the celebrant with words including amiable, adorable, beautiful, bold, blessed, caring, competent, dedicated, diligent, devoted, elegant, excellent, eloquent and exceptional.
Several gifts were presented to the retiree by the University Health Service and other well-wishers.
Among dignitaries at the event were Prof and Dr Mrs Godson Ana, Prof Ipingbemi, CNO Oyewole, CNO Onimisi, CNO Ayeni, Pastor and Mrs Kunle Oyegbile, Pastor and Pastor Mrs Owolabi, alongside family members, friends and colleagues.
