Ondo indigenes lament neglect of Nigeria’s ex- governor-general

Declare annual lecture to honour first African surgeon

Ondo State indigenes have flayed the neglect of the country’s first Consultant Physician, Surgeon and Governor-General, the late Dr. Samuel Manuwa. The Chairman of Ilaje Medical Doctors Association, Dr. Elihu Medunoye, made the condemnation in Akure, at an event to mark the maiden Samuel Manuwa Memorial Annual Lecture Series.

The theme of the event is, “Delivering Comprehensive Health Care to Difficult-to Reach Riverine Communities: Ilaje as a case study.”According to him, Manuwa, a native of Itebu Manuwa, in Ilaje Local Council Area of the state was the first consultant physician and surgeon that Nigeria and Africa had ever produced.

He said: “Before Nigeria gained her independence in 1960, the late Manuwa served as the acting governor-general on several occasions, as well as the country’s ceremonial governor-general.”

The association noted that Manuwa, who handed over power to the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe as the governor-general of Nigeria, at the exit of the colonial masters in 1960, was forgotten in history and on the altar of reckoning.

“Sadly enough, the contributions of this great son of our land have remained unsung and uncelebrated, hence this annual exposition which is going to be part of our association’s series of deliberate action-plans to correct this age-long error,” he said.

Medunoye disclosed that that the state Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and other dignitaries from across the nation would attend the event.