By Our Reporter
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council has hosted the Immediate past President of World Medical Association to a lavish Special Reception for making Africa, Nigeria and Edo State proud at the global level.
The reception which took place on the evening of Thursday 12tb October, 2023 , at the NUJ Secretariat after Dr. Osahon Enabulele has hànded over to his Successor at kagaili seems to be the first reception upon his coming back to the country.
Speaking at the reception, the NUJ Chairman,Comrade Festus Alenkhe noted that the Union agreed to host him for making Edo State proud all through his one year as President, World Medical Association.
Comrade Festus further said that the Union is a non partisan group and only celebrates Sons and daughters of the State who have contributed immensely to the growth and development of humanity.
“Today, we are celebrating you because you have not just served well but you have made us proud as Edo People to have produced a President that led other World Medical Professionals in our time. I know before this will get to Nigeria again, it will be many decades ànd so therefore, you are worth celebrating.”.
Speaking at the reception , the immediate past President of the World Medical Association, (WMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele commended the leadership and Members of Nigeria Union of Journalists for hosting him after his one year tenure as President.
He lamented that Nigeria Government needs to do more for his youths as Youths are abandoned to their fate .
Speaking further he advised Nigeria youths to take their destinies in their hands and work hard for a better future .
Dr. Enabulele also posited that for the people to bring the needed change that the society require there must be a collective engagements to drive the advancement.
Dr. Osahon Enabulele urged the youths to develop their own pathway, and pursue it to the point of finality as that helped him in his course of struggling in the medical profession.
” permit me to thank the Edo state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), for this great honour given to me. Yes, I have been involving in the national struggles for over thirty years. But this is the most outstanding session that I have ever been expose to.
” In fact, as the NUJ choir was singing, I was actually crying in my heart and inside of me. I have never be in this kind of state before. I don’t know how many of you saw my eyes. And I asked myself do I really deserve this honour bestowned on me? What did I really do to deserve all of these?
” All of these were done in less than 72 hours. I was amazed, so when the songs were going on, I was reflecting on my past, present, and i was also looking at how I would project ahead . I thanked NUJ for the honour, I could not really thank them enough.
” In your speech the NUJ chairman , you said you are the first to host me since I handed over as the immediate past WMA President. Yes, I want to affirmed that the NUJ is the first to welcome and honor me. The NUJ is the first in the whole world, not just in Edo state and Nigeria.
” I actually posted the information on the World meeting page when we had an exco meeting this morning before I came here for the special event. That the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists is hosting me. They were very excited to get the good news.
” If you go to my World page you will see the picture there . Let me really thank you because this is very unusual. When you talk about the bad situation in Nigeria. It is true the situation in Nigeria is very bad.
” But even in that bad situation there are still people who project excellence, and those kind of values which we are all cherished, We want to project. An NUJ today had indeed projected it.
” Even as we go around saying Nigeria is not getting it right. That is what also keep me going, is the kind of people I see hear, as far Nigeria seen to be. You have people who mean well, and people who can do things selflessly.
” People who can sacrifice even their lives for the common man. I think this is the learning point of what you have done today. I want to assure you that for ever and ever, I will continue to appreciate it. The executive members and all members of the NUJ.
Dr. Osahon Enabulele further thanked the Chairman and his executive for celebrating his successful handing over.
“I saw a beautiful choir here, Even when I was in NMA then, I kept telling them, can we have a choir? Not just because we want to have a choir. But there are time in your existence when you just need to be activated and to be redefine. I am quoting a new state of action. This is some of the this they do and it was exactly what they did to me.
“As the choir sang and prayed for me, I was already in a new realm. And I asked myself what else can I do to further the progressive cause. Because as we all know the struggle will always continue. But that struggle is a struggle you must do without struggling in earth.
” The NUJ had done what I expected anybody could do. I want to pledge my support to the NUJ entertainment team. Whatever I would do to support the progressive transformation team, I will do. They need to be supported and promoted.
” Let me say I had be every where in terms of medical leadership. But I also recognize the need for us to engage at the grassroot levels. For those who know me inspite of where I find myself, I always engage.
“I don’t mind whether you are from party A or B, because we must constantly engage.We must constantly find out what the situation is at every point in time. And look for solutions for it for us to advance. Nigeria today has a very serious crisis of development.
“But we all know why we are in this kind of crisis. What I tell people is that the crisis will remain as long as if we refuse to do nothing about it. So part of the efforts that has taking me too far is to see how we can change the narrative.
” Again in doing that we need a collective engagements. If I tell you most of my frustration or constrains in terms of the Nigeria struggle. You may not believe it, because it looks like we are real not ready to support excellence in our country.
” So that is why anywhere I go today, I tell the younger ones or youths not to look up to the Nigeria governments. If you are looking up to the Nigeria governments you are wasting your time. Develop your own pathways and objectives. Develop your mission and vision and pursue it to the point of finality.
“When I asked for the Nigeria on my assumption of office that I needed a diplomatic passport. That request was strictly turned down, I asked myself who else is showcasing Nigeria than more than what I am doing. They told me that the diplomatic passport is meant for politicians and people I don’t know.
” I was imagined that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was bold enough to tell me that, but I didn’t allow that to weight me down. Yes there is going to be a challenge because I needed to be going around from one embassy to anoher looking for visas.
“Yet, some elements who are not contributing anything to our societial development trying to discourage me because they belong to the corridor of power. So that was enough to discourage me, but I refused to be discouraged. Then I told myself these are just some of those plights on your way to success.
” But it is challenging because people outside the country do not understand and appreciate why such an enviable position cannot be propel by the Nigerian state. So if I have relax and waited upon the government, the kind of success story we are hearing now would not have be there,” Dr. Enabulele stated.
The NUJ presented a Certificate of Merit to the former WMA President for his contributions to medical profession.
Highpoint of the event was presentation of goodwill messages by friends of Dr. Enabulele Osahon and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.