Nigerian athletes in the US honour four distinguished doctors

The 2016 Nigerian International Athletes Association (NIAA) Convention which rounds up, today  Saturday, October 8, 2016  with a banquet and gala night at Doubletree Hotel, North Vineyards, Ontario, California, will not only discuss the challenges and solutions of athletics in Nigeria but would honour  four Nigerian doctors who have distinguished themselves in medicine and service to humanity.


On of the first persons slated for honour is the only woman amongst the four, she is Dr Olabisi Jagun.

According to Professor Grace Apiafi, president of the association, for over three decades, ‘’Dr Jagun has served as a leader, teacher, mentor, role model and a shining ambassador to many. From Appalachia's most remote counties to the underserved inner cities of Washington DC, Richmond VA, Baltimore MD and Harlem NY, she has blazed the trail and led two generations of immigrants’ physicians/healthcare professionals to serve America’s poorest and most marginalised communities. She thrives and practices where most physicians have declined to tread.’’


Ajagun studied medicine at the University of Ife, Nigeria, University of London School of hygiene and tropical medicine and Howard University Hospital. Since 2001, starting with Georgetown, Guyana in South America, Jagun has recruited and led countless numbers of physician volunteers and philanthropists on global Medical missions.

She has led mission to Epe and Ikorodu, Lagos State,  Ijebu and Abeokuta in Ogun state, Ondo City and Akure in Ondo State, all in Nigeria. From 2005 to 2009, Dr Jagun served with distinction on the first Washington DC mayoral Commission on African affairs.


Some of her collaborative partners include governments of Lagos, Ogun and Ondo States in Nigeria, the kingdoms of Oyo, Ondo, Egba, Ijebu, Akure, Noforija and Badagry in Nigeria, Bombo, Uganda Pentecostal church, Redeemed Christian Church Lagos Island Nigeria, Operation Healthier Africa, ANPA (Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas), NANNNA (National Association of Nigerian Nurses of North America), AWCAA (African Women Cancer Awareness Association) and ECI (Eko Clubs International).

She was honoured with a chieftaincy title from the king of Epe, Lagos Nigeria in October 2015. Dr Jagun was appointed by Governor Olusegun Mimiko to serve on the governing council of Medical Sciences in Ondo State, Nigeria.


The founder and president of Operation Healthy Africa, Dr Dapo Popoola, a California-based nonprofit organization that bridges the healthcare gap between the United States and Africa, to educate African communities about diseases and disease prevention and to organize training programs for African local doctors and personnel who volunteer their services and time will also be honoured according to Apiafi.

Operation Healthy Africa has funded, developed and executed several medical missions to many parts of Africa. Popoola is one of the founding members of the ANPA and a past chairman of the Southern California chapter.

Popoola’s civic achievements include 2001 humanitarian award from the Torrance Chamber of Commerce also in 2001 Chieftaincy award “Ataiyese” from Ibeju- Lekki Local Government in Lagos, 2003 Humanitarian Award “Master of Africa” and 2004 Citizen of the Week award from KNX-1070 radio station in Los Angeles, California.

Also to be honoured is Dr Nkem Chukwumerije, Assistant Area Medical Director at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Panorama City, California.


A graduate of the University of Nigeria (UNN), Dr. Chukwumerije is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

He is the Immediate Past President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ANPA and Past President of the North American chapter of the University of Nigeria college of Medicine Alumni Association (UNCOMAA).

Chukwumerije is the CEO and Founder of THRIVE Nutritionals Nigeria Limited. THRIVE Nutritionals provide high quality nutritional supplements for the pediatric population in Nigeria. He is also the President and Founder of THRIVE Development Foundation- a non-profit organization that applies the use of 90% of net profits from THRIVE Nutritionals, to develop and support safety net programs for the poor, especially widows.

Another medical practitioner slated to be honoured for his contribution to humanity is Dr. Johnson Adeyanju, a graduate of University of New Orleans.

Adeyanju is a member of the governance committee and founding member of John Muir Medical Group which comprises of over 275 primary care physicians, urgent care physicians, nurse practitioners, hospitalists and endocrinologists in Northern California.

A prolific writer, Adeyanju is the author of Deadly Revenge (Shadow of the Enemy), a Mystery Novel about Lagos, Nigeria. He is the current President of ANPA.

Source: Nigerian Times