The sweet coincidence of remembering Stella Adadevoh and Buhari’s return

by Alexander O. Onukwue

It was on this day in 2014 that Nigeria said goodbye to one of its most heroic public servants, Stella Ameyo Adadevoh.

Not that it needs to be reminded but she was the brave doctor of the First Consultant Medical Centre who prevented the Ebola carrier from Liberia, Patrick Sawyer, from breaking out of the facility and potentially spreading the virus in public.

Mrs Adadevoh, without thought for her personal safety in the heat of the moment, contracted the deadly virus from Mr Sawyer. She tested positive for it on the 4th of August 2014 and passed after fifteen days.

After 103 days of medical refreshment in London, President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Nigeria on the afternoon of August 19, at about the same time of day Mrs Adadevoh passed. In addition to the University of Lagos, she had earned her qualification to save Nigerian lives with a degree in Endocrinology from the University of London.

The death of Dr Adadevoh drew praise from all quarters for her valour and selflessness in danger. Not shrinking from the harm that would come to her, she threw herself to the line of fire. That should be the ordinary disposition of every patriotic person who professes dedication to a cause. Mrs Adadevoh’s example has been acclaimed the very benchmark for every public servant in the country if the true change is to come.

And who is the chief servant? The President.

It is not certain why the President was due to return today. Could it have been due to the vigils and protests at Abuja House, or had the doctors given the go ahead? What appears unlikely is that they had arranged the return to coincide with this date of the remembrance of Mrs Adadevoh. After all, she is a great-granddaughter of one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists, Herbert Macaulay.

In any case, it should come to the attention of the President that he has shared the honour of the day with this amiable person. Ameyo, as some did fondly call her, could be something of a standard for Buhari to keep on the word as a guide to how he and his cabinet should proceed further with the second half of their term.

The President has probably stolen her thunder today, but she will not mind. She will definitely have her good wishes for him that he succeed, to ensure that what she and other heroes past fought to accomplish, grows and blooms.

Mr President, I’m smiling down on you.

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