The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, has offered to release any of his landed properties for the use of the government or non-governmental organisations interested in improving healthcare delivery in Ibadan and its environs.
In a statement released by his Media Aide, Chief Adeola Oloko, the monarch said the land could be made available free of charge as part of his social responsibility to the people.
Oba Ladoja made the pledge at the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, when the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, visited him on Monday after commissioning modern medical diagnostic and other centres at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
The Olubadan, who is also Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, commended the healthcare initiatives of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and recalled the past achievements of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He noted that although UCH has abundant human resources, the equipment and other tools required to deliver quality healthcare must be upgraded to world-class standards.
Oba Ladoja said he felt embarrassed as a Nigerian when one of the country’s finest statesmen was recently used by an Asian hospital to promote medical tourism.
According to him, the intervention by the Federal Government would help restore medical excellence in Nigeria and reduce the dependence of Nigerians on foreign healthcare facilities.
He attributed the high rate of medical tourism among Nigerians and the migration of doctors and other healthcare professionals abroad partly to the lack of cutting-edge medical equipment in the country.
“If our medical doctors and other personnel are leaving Nigeria in search of greener pasture, let us make Nigerian pasture greener for them to stay,” he said.
The monarch also challenged the management of UCH, led by Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, to work towards restoring the hospital to its former glory, recalling that the institution was once regarded as one of the best five hospitals in the British Commonwealth.
Oba Ladoja expressed delight at the visit of the two ministers and disclosed that, before their arrival, he and members of the Olubadan Advisory Council had hosted officials from the Ministry of Power who informed them of plans to flag off a 17.7-megawatt electricity grid project expected to benefit five communities in Oyo State, including Ibadan.
He said he had assured the officials that the traditional institution would provide land for such development projects where necessary.
“At 82, I have no other job than to see how Ibadan would be better for the people and residents,” the monarch said, adding that he would reach out to the ministers whenever their intervention was needed.
Earlier, Prof. Oyedele explained that the ministers were in Ibadan to commission Phase One of the Advanced Medical Services Medserve Expansion Programme under the auspices of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority.
He said the first centre under the programme was commissioned in Bauchi earlier on Monday, before the delegation proceeded to Ibadan for the second commissioning.
Prof. Pate explained that Phase One of the medical expansion programme comprises 10 modern medical diagnostic centres, two oncology centres and two catheterisation laboratories distributed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
