…As Oladigbolu resumes office officially
The National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu has said that the incessant strike in the healthcare sector has further reaffirmed the need for federal and state governments to recognise community pharmacists as primary healthcare provides.
Oladigbolu said that it’s a known fact that Nigeria health indices are not encouraging when compared with other countries in the world. “In the league of nations that have developed healthcare system, Nigeria cannot be found among top 50. One of the missing gaps in achieving better health outcomes is for the federal and state governments to accord community pharmacists the right and privileges to do more for the people of our great country. This is very important in a country like ours where maternal and child mortality is very high. Pharmacists can stand in the gap because people have trust in them and they are very close to the community”.
Speaking during his inauguration as the Chairman of the association, Oladigbolu promised not to run a better executive but a different regime, “When you set out to compete, you won’t be able to do anything so we are going to run this administration differently”.
He however seeks the support of other executives for him to be able to take the association to a greater height. “Where I had the opportunity to serve in the past, what I enjoy doing most is bringing people together for greater harvest and that will be my focus. I will celebrate each and every one and raise your potentials, tap into it in such a way that pharmacist services in Nigeria will be better.
“Let me seize this opportunity to thank all the community pharmacists in Nigeria for the trust repose on my team. I want to assure all of you that we will ride on the shoulders of our leaders past and with innovation to take our association to a greater height.
“We have made campaign promises and then it is my wish that you will support me to bring them to reality. I can’t do it alone. In the past, for the positions have served, I make little promises and try as much as possible to deliver beyond expectation. This time around, the stake is higher, so I require all of you to come around and support.
Oladigbolu appreciated the Immediate Past Chairman, Dr Samuel Adekola, for sacrifices and passion for Pharmacy development in Nigeria, “One thing we can’t take away from you is your passion for pharmacists and leadership potential. God will continue to be with you for all your contribution towards the development of ACPN in Nigeria over the past 3 years. I am also using this opportunity to say Happy World Pharmacists Day 2021 to every pharmacist in Nigeria and across the world”.
Speaking while handing over, Dr Adekola expressed readiness to offer assistance to the new executives anytime he is called upon, “as a matter of fact, I want the new executive to succeed more than I did. I want you to achieve greater thing for this our great association than I did. That is the only way I can be happy and I will continue to offer advice where necessary.”
The new members of the executive include Pharm. Ambrose Eze; Pharm. Nkiru Chuka Okoye, national secretary and national assistant secretary respectively. Others are Pharm. Ashore Omokhafe, treasurer; Pharm. Samuel Babatunde, national financial secretary; Pharm. Kenneth Ujah, publicity secretary; Pharm. Okwor Ikechukwu, national internal auditor and Pharm. Babajide Giwa, national editor-in-chief.
