Pharmacists have congratulated Dr Olugbenga Owoeye on the renewal of his appointment as Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba—praising his unwavering integrity and moral fortitude in the face of ethical challenges.
Speaking under the aegis of the Lagos State Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), its Branch Chairman, Pharm. Babayemi Oyekunle, the PSN described the renewal as a deserving recognition of Dr. Owoeye’s exemplary leadership and professional excellence.
Specifically, the pharmacists described his reappointment as a hard-earned recognition by the Federal Government of Dr Owoeye’s courageous refusal to yield to pressures that could undermine professional standards and the broader healthcare system.
They commended his principled leadership, noting that such values are critical to fostering trust, accountability, and excellence in public health institutions.
Further applauding his achievements, the PSN praised Dr. Owoeye for facilitating long-overdue staff promotions and fostering a conducive environment for effective service delivery. The Society encouraged him to sustain his visionary leadership in the new term, affirming that his continued service would enhance patient care and boost the morale of healthcare professionals.
The PSN also expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Health for the decision to renew Dr. Owoeye’s mandate. It viewed the development as an affirmation of merit, ethical conduct, and competence.
Special commendation was given to the Hon. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiak Adekunle-Salako, for his commitment to appointing capable and principled individuals to leadership roles in the health sector.
The statement reads, “We validate this appointment which is an eloquent testimony of the leadership capacity and competence of Dr. Owoeye who goes into memory lane as a distinguished professional who will not allow himself to be intimidated by bully tactics on the altar of an unethical agenda which is insulting to the psyche of other members of the value chain of healthcare in the health institution he presides over.
“We at Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Lagos State put on record some notable achievements of Dr. Owoeye in the areas of undiluted boosts in staff welfare, hospital infrastructural maintenance and development and an inclination towards professionalism even at great risk of stepping on the toes of the leadership of his primary constituency. It is striking that Dr. Owoeye approved and stuck to the management decision of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba to appoint Consultant Pharmacists in alignment with extant laws and circulars of the relevant bureaucratic arms of the Federal Government despite threats, hues and cries by unsavoury elements who raised hell with a bid to pulling down the house which the Health Family epitomises in other climes.
“The PSN (Lagos State Branch) encourages Dr. Owoeye not to derail from his rewarding visionary posture as he settles down for a fresh tenure which brings value added impact to consumers of health and workers at that famous health institution.
“In particular, we commend Dr. Isiak Adekunle-Salako, the Minister of State for Health for exercising a prerogative to prioritise capacity, value orientation and positive disposition to deal decisively with this particular challenge of upholding a dire need to show rare statesmanship that government can sometimes respond positively to the voice of reasoning in the Health sector.”
Similarly, PSN lauded Dr. Damola Dada for his impactful leadership during his eight-year tenure as Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta. Describing his administration as a golden era, the Society lauded his efforts in maintaining institutional stability, ensuring efficient operations, and effectively leveraging public-private partnerships to sustain essential services.
PSN also recognised Dada for his principled resistance to professional pressures aimed at marginalizing the role of Consultant Pharmacists. The PSN characterized him as a law-abiding and progressive leader whose actions continue to promote reform in the healthcare space.
“His current leadership at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti where he approved the adoption of Grade Level 12 as the entry point for Pharm.D holders was cited as a transformative move in improving welfare for non-physician healthcare workers. Despite facing resource constraints in Ekiti, Dr Dada’s inclusive and equitable approach to administration was hailed as exemplary.”
The PSN reiterated its opposition to the prevalent trend of biased and exclusionary leadership practices in many healthcare institutions. It emphasized the importance of fairness, equity, and respect for human dignity in the administration of health facilities, arguing that these values are essential for lasting harmony and progress in the sector.
In a related development, a member of the Board of Trustees of the PSN, Lagos State, Bola Oyawole, called on government authorities at all levels to urgently address what he described as unjust and unconstitutional appointment practices in Federal Health Institutions.
While commending Drs. Owoeye and Dada for their notable contributions, Oyawole criticised the manipulation of the University Teaching Hospital Act and the Federal Medical Centres Act, asserting that both laws contain discriminatory provisions that unjustly limit leadership positions to physicians.
Quoting the 1999 Constitution, Oyawole stressed that discrimination based on professional affiliation is prohibited and called for equal opportunity in leadership roles across all healthcare professions.
He urged newly reappointed and former medical directors to join in advocating for systemic reform to promote inclusivity, fairness, and justice in the nation’s health sector.
Oyawole statement reads, “We must continue to sensitise governments at all levels about the challenges of responsible and appropriate appointments at all our FHIs. While I join other progressive stakeholders in healthcare to salute the sagacious propensities of the likes of Gbenga Owoeye and Damola Dada who truly justify all the accolades credited to them, I will hasten to call for a holistic redress for the sake of fair justice.
“The existing University Teaching Hospital Act as well as the FMC Act which have both been manipulated to varying degrees are laden with unconstitutional clauses especially in the area of the condition precedent to appoint CMDs and MDs of these FHIs.
“We must always reckon that the 1999 Constitution prohibits discrimination against citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of their gender, ethnic, religious, social, professional and cultural affiliations. In this regard therefore appointments cannot be mutually exclusive to only a privileged group in any sector.
“It certainly amounts to an unconstitutional act to single out only Physicians to head all hospitals, departments and agencies in the Health Sector in our country,” he added.
