Majekodunmi’s death, a reminder of weti e episode

He was appointed Sole Administrator of Western Region in June 1962 after a political crisis in the region, holding office in place of the then Premier, Samuel Ladoke Akintola, until December that year. The crisis was due to a struggle for power between the deputy leader of the Action Group, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola and […]

He was appointed Sole Administrator of Western Region in June 1962 after a political crisis in the region, holding office in place of the then Premier, Samuel Ladoke Akintola, until December that year.

The crisis was due to a struggle for power between the deputy leader of the Action Group, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola and the former Western Region Premier and the then leader of the opposition, the late Chief  Obafemi Awolowo. It led to violent scenes in the Western Region’s House of Assembly. Awolowo found himself as leader of the opposition in the Federal House of Representatives, while the deputy leader of the Action Group, Chief S. L. Akintola, remained premier of the Western Region. This situation led to a power struggle within the party and ultimately erupted in 1962 in disturbances in the Western Region House of Assembly. The federal government intervened and suspended the regional constitution to install Majekodunmi as interim Premier. On advice from the police, one of his first acts was to sign restriction orders to detain the leaders of both factions. When normalcy was restored, the Akintola faction had won and resumed office on 1 January 1963. Akintola and his followers withdrew from the Action Group to form the Nigerian National Democratic party (NNDP), which governed Western Nigeria until 1966.

Aged 95, the late Majekodunmi was a Senator and Minister of Health in Nigeria’s First Republic.

The late Majekodunmi attended Abeokuta Grammar School and St Gregory’s College, Lagos before enrolling at the University of Dublin, where he bagged a second Class Honours in Anatomy and Physiology in 1936, and later, a first Class Honors in Bacteriology and Clinical Medicine.

While in Dublin, he worked as a house physician at the National Children’s Hospital in 1941 and the Rotunda Hospital (1941-1942). He returned to the country in 1943 and became a medical officer in the Nigerian Medical Service. From 1949 to 1960, he worked with the Nigerian and Federal Medical Services as a gynecologist and obstetrician, and was also a consulting doctor with Massey Street Maternity Hospital, Lagos, General Hospital, Lagos, and Creek Hospital, also in Lagos.

In the 1960s, he was a member of the Nigerian Parliament and later held board membership with Westminster Dredging Company and Union Bank. He founded St Nicholas Hospital and once served as secretary of the Nigerian branch of the British Medical Association. He was also chairman of the Egba Maternity Clinic. He founded Saint Nicholas Hospital in Lagos, which opened in March 1968.

Nigerians mourn late Majekodunmi

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in his message described the death of First Republic Parliamentarian and Minister of Health, Dr. Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, as a great loss to the  nation.

The President said that Dr. Majekodunmi’s wisdom, rare patriotism, dedication to work, commitment to national service and excellence will undoubtedly be sorely missed by his family, friends, associates and the whole country.

He noted that late Majekodunmi distinguished himself not only during his brief sojourn as a federal minister and Administrator of the  old Western Region, but also as one of the pioneers of high quality private health care services in Nigeria.

Former head of interim government, Chief Ernest Shonekan described Majekodunmi as an achiever who will be missed by all and sundry. He prayed for the soul of the departed elder states man

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State in his condolence to the family described late Dr. Majekodunmi as a renowned medical doctor whose contributions to the field of Medicine for over half a century of practice could not be quantified. He also lauded the patriotic contributions of the late politician, saying that he defied all odds to accept his appointment as Administrator of Western Region at a time when the region was bedeviled by violence.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola described late Majekodunmi as an effective and far-sighted leader.

In a condolence letter to wife of the deceased, Mrs. Katsina Majekodunmi, Fashola said that although most Nigerians would remember him as a former administrator of the defunct Western Region, his effective and far-sighted contributions as Minister of Health in the First Republic under whose watch the first indigenous college of Medicine was established in Nigeria would not be forgotten.

The governor recalled that the elder statesman personally oversaw the conversion of Mainland Hospital, Idi- Araba to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and recruited professionals who mid-wifed the process of awarding first Nigerian degree in Medicine and Surgery. Nigeria’s first professor of Medicine, Prof. Oladipo Ogunlesi, said by Majekodunmi’s death, Nigeria has lost one of her best sons.

Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel described the death of the former administrator of Western Region, Chief Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi as  loss to the Yoruba race and Nigeria. He said the elder statesman during his lifetime worked strenuously for the development of the race and country stating that he displayed patriotism and tenacity of purpose in all the assignments trusted in him by posterity.

National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Segun Oni commiserated with the Majekodunmi family describing the late Majekodunmi as a foremost medical practitioner, politician and nationalist saying: “Though the death of a beloved father can be devastating no matter how old he lived, but the entire Majekodunmi family should be consoled by the fact that the Papa lived a fulfilled and exemplary life.”

Former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, said in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Emeka Obasi, that Majekodunmi made his mark on the political scene in Nigeria, leaving behind legacies Nigerians would be proud of. He said: “But for the bold steps taken by Dr. Majekodunmi, a seasoned medical doctor, in the trying days of the Western Region to accept to serve as the Administrator of the region, perhaps there may be no Nigeria today because of the volatile nature of the region then. He stood by what he believed to be right and was justified at the end of the day.”

Joint Chief Medical Director, EKO Corp Plc, Olorogun Sunny Kuku, described Majekodunmi as one of the chieftains of the medical profession in the country. Kuku who regretted the passing of the medical icon, wished there were more like him in the country.

“He was a gentleman on the side of honour. As regards the medical profession, he was one of the greatest.  In particular he did a lot of work in the area of secondary and tertiary health. All the health centres in Lagos were built by him and even the Teaching Hospital in Lagos. It was he who set it up and made sure it became the College of Medicine for the University of Lagos, his contributions to health in the St. Nicholas is unparalleled.”