A Professor of Paediatric Surgery, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and two term Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Chris Bode has been honoured by the institution with a public lecture.
The theme of the lecture: The “Last Stitch” : A Legacy of Honour.
Newsmen reports that the VC of UNILAG, chaired the occasion, while a former Minister health and former CMD Luth, Prof. Debo Adeyemi was the special guest of honour.
Many staff from UNILAG and LUTH, including family members attended the academic celebration event held at Old Great Hall, College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
The chairperson of the occasion and VC UNILAG, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said she was happy to chair the event as she has known Prof. Chris Bode for a very long time.
According to the VC, today we are celebrating a man of legacy, a man with good leadership skills and always calm, a man of vision, a man who invested in people, who delegated authority rightly.
Prof. Ogunsola commended Prof. Bode for mentoring, epitomizing leadership and influencing people positively.
“He brings out the best from people. You have laid foundation many will not be able to erase. I also congratulate you for what you have done for UNILAG, by mentoring many people in the institution.
“You have helped to shape what College of Medicine is today and make it a leading college in Africa.
“Today we are here to listen to a lecture – an academic lecture in your honour .
“This lecture: Surgical System, Individual, Institution and the Nation, that will be giving by Mr Ade-Ajayi, a surgeon; the topic speak to people, institution and the impact on the development of a nation,” she said.
The Provost, College of Medicine, UNILAG, Prof. Ademola Oremosu, said that the ceremony was to celebrate a distinguished Paediatric Surgeon, a leader whose legacy will be fect by generations to come.
Oremosu noted that apart from celebrating 70 years of age, the event was also to celebrate a life of purpose, a life of impact and a journey of excellence.
According to the Provost, many will remember Prof. Bode as a teacher, mentor and administrator with integrity, one who teaches others leadership skills and hard work.
“He was a spontaneous teacher and very brilliant. I learnt from him resilience and dedication to duty, loyalty to superiors.
“As CMD Luth, he turned obstacles to stepping stones. Beyond titles, the greatest legacy is the people you have touched.
“The students he taught, many are now professors in different parts of the world. His life is a living curriculum.
“Thank you for the impact made in the Paediatric surgical world, thank you for the system you built and institutions your strengthened, thank you for the lives you changed,” he said.
The CMD Luth, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo, said:
If we talk about Prof. Bode, we are talking about a teacher, a mentor, a decorator, an orator and a man whose life style taught him to be patient in life.
“Prof Bode started very well and he ended absolutely very well,” he said.
The CMD attributed some major developmental projects carried out in the hospital to Prof. Bode’s efforts.
He pointed out that government alone cannot fund health institutions in Nigeria, stressing that Prof. Bode attracted donors to carried out some projects that were beneficial to staff and patients.
“When you talked of peadatric surgery in Nigeria, Prof Bode name will always comes up,” he added
The Head of surgery Department, LUTH, Prof. Andrew Ugburo, said Prof Bode has made positive impact in the paediatric surgery world as he has trained and produced many consultant surgeons working as professional surgeon in various health institutions.
According to him, he made a total of 106 publications, a feat he described as educational out put that has enriched the field of surgery and other medical sciences.
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He, however, appealed to the retired professor that – “For the sake of the children that will be born today and tomorrow, you should consider post retirement stitches for humanity, as surgical warrior never retires.
As part of activities marking his retirement, he inaugurated some completed projects in LUTH and also had exhibitions of his works.
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