………Eigbedion-led delegation visits EDSU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adetimirin, secures commitment to deeper institutional collaboration

Kingsley Ohens reporting

AUCHI, EDO STATE — The Edo State Branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (Edo NMA) has intensified efforts to strengthen professional unity among medical doctors across the State, with a renewed push to bring doctors working at Edo State University, Iyamho, into the mainstream of the Association.

The initiative took centre stage on Thursday, September 10, 2026, when the Chairman of Edo NMA, Dr Andrew Oseghale Eigbedion, led members of the State Officers Committee and other delegates on a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of Edo State University, Iyamho, Prof. Victor Olawale Adetimirin.

The meeting, held at the Vice-Chancellor’s office, formed part of activities surrounding the Edo NMA Ordinary General Meeting (OGM), which was held later that day at the Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Auchi.

The engagement provided an opportunity for the leadership of the professional body and the University administration to discuss ways of deepening institutional relations, strengthening professional participation and advancing the interests of the medical profession in Edo State.

A major highlight of the visit was the significance of the Association’s return to Edo North for a major mainstream activity after more than two years. Dr Eigbedion described the decision to hold the OGM in Auchi as a deliberate effort to reconnect medical doctors practising in Edo North with the mainstream activities of the State Branch.

According to him, the decision was not simply about changing the location of the Association’s meeting, but part of a broader strategy to promote inclusiveness and ensure that doctors across the three senatorial districts have meaningful opportunities to participate in the affairs of the NMA.

He stressed that the Edo NMA under his leadership would continue to pursue an inclusive agenda in which every doctor, institution and senatorial district has a place within the professional body.

The Chairman subsequently drew attention to the participation of medical doctors working at Edo State University, observing that available records indicated that the doctors were not adequately represented among due-paying members of the Edo NMA.

He therefore appealed to Prof. Adetimirin to support the Association’s efforts to encourage the doctors to become full and active members.

Dr Eigbedion was emphatic that the Nigerian Medical Association is a professional association and not a labour union, explaining that active membership provides doctors with a platform for professional development, advocacy, welfare, peer engagement and the collective advancement of the medical profession.

He clarified that the Association’s interest was not to interfere with the administrative or employment structures of the University, but rather to ensure that medical doctors remained connected to their recognised professional body and benefited from the opportunities and responsibilities that come with such professional affiliation.

The NMA Chairman also commended Edo State University for the progress it has recorded since its establishment, particularly in medical education and professional development. He described the institution’s stable and uninterrupted academic calendar as a positive indication of effective institutional leadership and noted the University’s growing contribution to the development of human resources required to strengthen the health sector and other critical areas of society.

Dr Eigbedion expressed optimism that the relationship between the Edo NMA and Edo State University would continue to evolve into a stronger partnership capable of producing lasting benefits for medical practitioners, students and the wider Edo State community.

Responding, Prof. Victor Olawale Adetimirin expressed delight at receiving the Edo NMA delegation and described the visit as an important opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the University and the professional body.

The Vice-Chancellor highlighted some of the strategies adopted by his administration during his approximately two years in office, placing emphasis on institutional efficiency, academic excellence and the maintenance of a stable learning environment.

He also spoke about the rising profile of Edo State University and its growing role in advancing education, professional training and human-capital development in Edo State and beyond.

Prof. Adetimirin, however, used the occasion to express concern over what he described as attempts to tarnish the image of the University through misinformation and false allegations circulated on social media.

He made particular reference to a recent claim concerning an alleged electricity outage within the institution, which he dismissed as false, noting that he was encouraged by the response of students who, according to him, took to social media to challenge the allegation.

The Vice-Chancellor said the students’ reaction demonstrated their confidence in the institution and its leadership, while also reflecting the strong bond between the University community and the institution.

On the request by the Edo NMA Chairman for institutional support in encouraging doctors at the University to identify with the Association, Prof. Adetimirin pledged the cooperation of his administration in fostering closer relations between Edo State University and the Edo NMA.

He, however, emphasised that the ultimate decision to become members of the Association must rest with individual doctors.

According to him, while the University can provide encouragement and institutional support, medical doctors must personally demonstrate the willingness to join the Association and participate actively in its programmes and activities.

The position provides a foundation for continued dialogue between the University administration and the Edo NMA as both institutions seek to strengthen professional participation among doctors working within the University.

Beyond the immediate issue of membership, the engagement opened possibilities for deeper collaboration in areas including medical education, professional development, healthcare advocacy and the promotion of higher standards within the medical profession.

For the Edo NMA, its return to Edo North represents more than the hosting of an Ordinary General Meeting. It is a deliberate statement of the Association’s commitment to inclusion, participation and professional solidarity across geographical boundaries.

The initiative also reinforces the determination of the Eigbedion-led leadership to reconnect doctors practising in every part of Edo State with the mainstream of the Association and create a stronger professional community capable of contributing meaningfully to healthcare development.

The courtesy visit ended on a cordial note with the presentation of Edo NMA souvenirs to the Vice-Chancellor by Dr Andrew Eigbedion and Dr William Akerele on behalf of the Association, followed by a group photograph involving the Vice-Chancellor and members of the delegation, providing a lasting record of an engagement both sides regarded as an important step towards stronger institutional and professional relations.

As the Edo NMA continues to build on the goodwill generated by the visit, the Association remains optimistic that the engagement will translate into sustained collaboration with Edo State University and greater participation of doctors in the University’s employ in the affairs of their professional body.

According to the Association’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Alari-Enoma Edosa, the engagement reflects the broader vision of the Dr Andrew Eigbedion-led State Officers Committee, 2026–2028, to promote professional excellence, institutional collaboration, inclusion and stronger participation across the medical community in Edo State.

The engagement ultimately underscored a shared commitment to building a more connected professional community and advancing the standards of medical practice, education and healthcare development across Edo State.