Adewole: The physician as diplomat

Abiodun KOMOLAFE

By Abiodun Komolafe

Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole is a Renaissance man who has, in today’s parlance, multi-tasked all his life. He is not just an accomplished figure; he is a consummate professional who has straddled diverse roles with international acclaim, always anchored by the highest ethical standards.

It is a staggering testament to the era’s dysfunction that a delusional Chief of Staff once stripped procurement powers from the Federal Ministry of Health under Adewole’s watch and subsumed them under the Ministry of Agriculture. This administrative heist is quite possibly without precedence in our history.

My interactions with Adewole reveal much about his heart. After my 2020 series, ‘Osun: The storm foreseen,’ sparked a heated debate, the veteran administrator reached out. He stepped in as a peacemaker - acting on the injunction of the Holy Books - and that grew into a father-son relationship that remains to this day. By 2024, a private mission led me to his Ibadan residence. I was struck by his hospitality, despite my lowly profile. This man is now Nigeria’s Ambassador to Canada.

There have been debates regarding the deployment of non-career officers to ‘juicy’ ambassadorial posts. However, Adewole’s posting to Canada makes perfect sense: he is already ‘ambassadorial’ by nature, having been internationally connected for decades.  So, no one needs to school him on the intricacies of diplomacy. Through his professional expertise, gait and mien, the erudite professor has always embodied the very essence of an envoy. He will serve the country well in Canada - a nation that, amidst today’s global turbulence, should become even more relevant in multi-disciplinary, mutually beneficial trade relationships with Nigeria.

Life will continue long after this diplomatic assignment and, mercifully, Adewole remains - and will surely continue to be - in very good shape. This stint will afford him even deeper exposure to the healthcare system in Canada, a multicultural and diverse nation with a sprawling landmass. Following his service, a reinvigorated Adewole will return to the home turf equipped with penetrating insights into what is widely considered one of the most admirable health systems in the world.

For decades, Canada has benefitted from a continuing inflow of medical tourists, not just from contiguous States like Michigan but from much further afield in the US. Ottawa has presided over a system that demonstrates the inadequacy of the American model of health services - a system that President Barack Obama tried unsuccessfully to overhaul with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Nigeria is enriching its own future by sending a man as astute as Adewole to Canada. Whoever holds the reins of power upon his return must, as a matter of national priority, tap into the wealth of experience he will have garnered. Drawing from the Canadian model will be of immense, lasting benefit to our nation. From this perspective, it is a truly inspired appointment.

Lastly, Ambassador Adewole will need a sharp cadre of assistants to manage the heavy demands ahead. He should begin that search today.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!