Christopher Okojie

Last updated

Christopher G Okojie OFR DSc (1920-2006) was a Nigerian doctor, politician, administrator and historian. He was born in Ugboha, in present-day Edo State, Nigeria. He was leader of the Mid-West Regional House of Assembly from 1964 to 1966. He was a former Health Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1992) and president of the Nigerian Medical Association (1974-1975). [1] As minister, he was instrumental in pushing ahead a National Insurance Health Scheme. [2] He died on October 7, 2006, at the age of 86. During his tenure as minister, he was able to bring roads and bore-hole water to the people of Esan.

Contents

He was a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (2002), a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons and a member of the Population Council of New York. [3] In 1964, in recognition of his services to the nation, Okojie was invested with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). [4]

Career

Dr Christopher Gbelokoto Okojie left the Colonial Service to work among his people, the impoverished rural people of Ishan (Esan) Division of present-day Edo State. [5] He returned to his native district and started the Zuma Memorial Hospital on March 27, 1950, a private service that tried to supplement inadequate health services in Esan land. In addition to his work as a medical doctor, Okojie spent a significant part of his time researching and documenting Esan history, laws and customs. In 1960, he published a most comprehensive study on Esan history, Esan Native Laws and Customs: With Ethnological Studies of the Esan People. He had a long and illustrious career and continued to attend to patients when aged 85. [6]

Personal life

He married Olayemi Phillips, and they had seven children. Their children include daughters: Oseyi Oigboke, Anehita Akinsanya, Adesua Ilegbodu and Ebemeata Ani-Otoibhi and sons: Isi Okojie, and twins Ihimire Okojie and Ehidiamen Okojie (who died in December 2009). He owned and lived in a large estate, Zuma Memorial, in Irrua Edo State which comprised his personal residence, a hospital (Zuma Memorial Hospital), orphanage and accommodation for medical and domestic staff.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Olubunmi Okogie</span> Catholic cardinal

Anthony Olubunmi Okogie is a Nigerian Cardinal Priest and Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos in the Roman Catholic Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edo State</span> State of Nigeria

Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of the federal republic of Nigeria. As of 2022, the state was ranked as the 22nd most populous state (4,777,000) in Nigeria. The estimated state population is around 4,777,000 in 2022. Edo State is the 22nd largest State by landmass in Nigeria. The state's capital and largest city, Benin City, is the fourth largest city in Nigeria, and the centre of the country's rubber industry. Created in 1991 from the former Bendel State, it is also known as the heart beat of the nation. Edo State borders Kogi State to the north for 133 km and across the Niger River for 81 km to the northeast, Anambra State to the east for about four km across the Niger River, Delta State to the southeast and south for 350 km, and Ondo State to the west.

The Edoid languages are a few dozen languages spoken in Southern Nigeria, predominantly in the former Bendel State. The name Edoid derives from its most widely spoken member, Edo, the language of Benin City, which has 30 million native and secondary speakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esan people</span> Ethnic group in Nigeria

Esan people, or Esans, are an Edoid-speaking ethnic group who share a common culture and the Esan language. The Esan are traditionally known to be agriculturalists, trado-medical practitioners, mercenary warriors and hunters. They cultivate palm trees, Irvingia gabonensis (erhonhiele), Cherry (Otien), bell pepper (akoh) coconut, betel nut, kola nut, black pear, avocado pear, yams, cocoyam, cassava, maize, rice, beans, groundnut, bananas, oranges, plantains, sugar cane, tomato, potato, okra, pineapple, paw paw, and various vegetables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ogbidi Okojie</span> Onojie of Uromi

Ogbidi Okojie, Onojie (king) of Uromi, was a ruler of the Esan people in what is now Edo State in Nigeria, still remembered for his opposition to British rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healthcare in Nigeria</span>

Healthcare in Nigeria is a concurrent responsibility of the three tiers of government in the country. Private providers of healthcare have a visible role to play in healthcare delivery. The use of traditional medicine (TM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased significantly over the past few years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esan North-East</span> LGA in Edo State, Nigeria

Esan North-East is a Local Government Area located in Edo State of Nigeria. It has an estimated population of 119,346. Its headquarters are in Uromi/Uzea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uromi</span> City in Edo state, Nigeria

Uromi is a city located in north-eastern Esan, a sub-ethnic group of the Edo people in Edo state, Nigeria. At various points in Uromi's history, the city and people have been an important part of the Benin Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esan Central</span> LGA in Edo State, Nigeria

Esan Central Local Government Area is a Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Its administrative headquarters is located in the town of Irrua.

Igueben is a local government area of Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are located in the town of Igueben, which has an area of 380 km2 (150 sq mi) and a population of 69,639 according to the 2006 census. The postal code is 310.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ekpoma</span> Town in Edo State, Nigeria

Ekpoma is a town in Edo State, Nigeria. It is the administrative headquarters of the Esan West Local Government Area. Ekpoma lies on the geographical coordinate of latitude 6°45′N6°08′E. The town has an official Post Office, and it is home to the Ambrose Alli University. Currently Ekpoma town is developing with major infrastructures, hospitals, schools, modern eateries and roads. The town is also secured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ewu</span> Town in Edo State, Nigeria

Ewu is a Nigerian town situated in Esan Central Local Government Area in the Edo State of Nigeria. The city, an Esan tribe, lies on 200 feet in the plateau region of central Edo State, 100 kilometres north of Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Nigeria.

Ogwa is a town in Esan West Local Government Area in Edo State, Nigeria. It is among the constituent communities of Esanland. The people of Ogwa speak the Esan language. The language of the Esan people shares the same name as the name of the land itself. Esan and Ishan are interchangeably used to refer to the same place, language and people. Ishan is the anglicized variant for Esan. The Ogwa people in Edo State identify themselves as Esan or Ishan people. Ogwa has four clans: Eguare, Ukpogu, Izogen and Eha. These clans are headed by most elderly men in each of them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esanland</span> Cultural Region in Nigeria

Esanland, otherwise known as Esan Nation, is a cultural region located in Edo State, Nigeria. It is composed of five Local Government Areas in Edo State. Esanland lies west of the banks of the Niger River. It is bordered by Kogi State, Delta State, Edo South Senatorial District, and Edo North Senatorial District. Esanland covers about 2,800 square kilometers and is home to over half a million people. The Esan people and culture of Esanland are generally homogenous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clifford Ordia</span> Politician

Clifford Ordia is a Nigerian engineer and politician who hails from Usugbenu Irrua in Esan Central local government area of Edo State. He served as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, representing the people of Edo Central senatorial district, Edo State, in the Nigerian Senate. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idoa, Nigeria</span> Esan community in Edo State, Nigeria

Idoa is an Esan community in Edo, Nigeria. The city, an Esan tribe, stretches through the highlands and plains of central Edo State. It is 120 kilometres north of Benin City, the capital of Edo State, having boundaries with Ekpoma in the west, Ukhun in the south, Ewu in the east and Agbede in the north. Residents are mainly farmers and grow crops, including yams, rice, cassava, taro and cocoa. The city of Idoa is currently made up of the following five clans: Afuku-N'Edo, Afokolo, Atologua, Ubi and Ofie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irrua</span> Town in Edo state, Nigeria

Irrua is a town in Edo state and the administrative seat of the Esan Central local government area in Edo State Nigeria. Irrua was established by decree 92 of 1993 to provide tertiary services to people of Edo State and beyond.

Clarence Mazwangwandile Mini was a South African doctor, anti-apartheid activist, freedom fighter, human rights activist. Mini was regarded as a pioneer of the medical industry in South Africa, especially for his crucial contributions in eliminating the HIV/AIDS from the country. He also actively advocated against apartheid during his career and also voiced against corruption which mounted during the presidency of Jacob Zuma. He served on the Board of Healthcare Funders, at times as its chair. He died on 12 May 2020 due to COVID-19 complications at the age of 68 while serving as the chairperson of the Council of Medical Schemes. His term as chairperson of CMS was due to end by September 2020.

Benita Iyere Okojie is a Nigerian gospel singer.

Robert Sylvester Okojie is a Nigerian-American engineer.

References

  1. ↑ "It's Unethical for Doctors to Go On Strike," This Day, April 27, 2001.
  2. ↑ "Health Insurance Scheme Takes Off Soon", The Daily Trust. October 9, 2001
  3. ↑ "Dr Christopher G. Okojie". 30 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "OKOJIE, Dr. Christopher Gbelokoto". 1 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "THE ESAN(NIGERIA)PEOPLE: FORTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER C.G.OKOJIE'S ISHAN NATIVE LAWS AND CUSTOMS". 30 June 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Okonofua, Friday (2006). "In Memoriam: Dr Christopher Gbelokoto Okojie". Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research. 5 (2).


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.