Sir Atueyi’s ideals: Baale calls for integrity, purposeful leadership in healthcare

President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm), Prof. Lere Baale, has charged healthcare professionals and leaders to embrace integrity, purposeful leadership and service as the foundation for creating lasting impact, drawing lessons from the life and enduring legacy of late pharmaceutical journalist and founder of Pharmanews, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi.

Baale gave the charge while delivering the inaugural Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi Memorial Lecture, where he described the late pharmacist, publisher and author as a pioneer whose contributions to pharmaceutical communication, healthcare advocacy and professional development continue to influence generations.

Speaking on the theme of the memorial lecture, “Legacy Beyond Life: Leadership, Integrity and the Power of Enduring Impact,” Baale said Sir Atueyi’s life represented a powerful example of how individuals could create institutions and values that remain relevant long after their departure.

He described it as a great honour to deliver the maiden lecture in honour of Sir Atueyi, noting that the late publisher occupied several historic positions, including being the first Vice-President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, the first Fellow of the Academy to be honoured with a valedictory session and the first pharmacist to have a memorial lecture instituted in his honour.

According to him, Sir Atueyi richly deserved the recognition because of his remarkable contributions to pharmacy and healthcare communication in Nigeria.

Baale commended Atueyi’s family for establishing the memorial lecture, stressing that remembering Sir Ifeanyi was not enough without sustaining the vision and values he left behind.

Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, Baale said history was shaped by individuals who dared to dream beyond present limitations, adding that great men and women leave footprints that extend beyond their lifetime through the impact they create.

According to him, Sir Atueyi did not merely establish a publication but built an institution through Pharmanews, which became a respected platform for amplifying professional voices, advancing healthcare advocacy, promoting innovation and inspiring future leaders.

“Long before healthcare communication became fashionable, Sir Atueyi understood that information saves lives,” Baale said, adding that the late publisher recognised the need for the pharmacy profession to have a credible voice and created a platform that continues to serve that purpose.

He explained that what started as a publication eventually evolved into a trusted institution where healthcare innovations found expression, policies gained better understanding, achievements received recognition, and future professionals found inspiration.

Speaking on the difference between success and significance, Baale said society often celebrates success but fails to understand that success and legacy are not the same. According to him, success is measured by what individuals accumulate, while legacy is measured by what they contribute.

“Success asks, ‘How much did I achieve?’ Legacy asks, ‘How much did I give?’” he said, stressing that while success may fill a lifetime, legacy impacts generations.

He described Sir Atueyi as an example of a person who moved beyond success to significance because he changed lives, strengthened institutions and created opportunities for others.

According to him, Sir Atueyi’s life demonstrated that every individual must understand that their actions contribute to the legacy they eventually leave behind.

Drawing a comparison between Sir Atueyi and historical figures whose influence transcended generations, Baale recalled the contributions of Imhotep, whose ideas shaped medicine and engineering thousands of years ago.

He noted that while Imhotep built structures of stone, Sir Atueyi built structures of ideas by strengthening pharmaceutical communication, healthcare advocacy and professional development in Nigeria. “Imhotep influenced civilisation; Sir Atueyi strengthened professions and institutions,” he said.

On leadership, Baale stressed that leadership was not about occupying positions but about influencing progress and creating opportunities for others.

He noted that societies move from where they are to where they ought to be through committed leaders rather than merely charismatic individuals.

According to him, leaders who endure are those who remain faithful to a purpose greater than themselves and continue serving even after recognition and applause have faded. He identified integrity as the foundation of enduring influence, describing it as “the currency of leadership.”

Baale explained that talent could open doors, intelligence could create opportunities, and influence could attract followers, but only integrity could build lasting trust. He warned that visibility without credibility was fragile, influence without integrity was dangerous, and power without character could become destructive.

The NAPharm President challenged professionals to measure their lives not by titles, wealth or social status but by the impact they make.

He asked: “How many lives became better because you existed? How many opportunities did you create? How many dreams did you nurture? How many institutions became stronger because you passed through them?”

Baale also emphasised the importance of multiplication in leadership, saying the highest expression of leadership was not personal success but helping others to succeed.

He urged young professionals not merely to pursue careers but to pursue a calling, advising them to focus not only on climbing ladders but also on building platforms for others.

He challenged participants not only to celebrate Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi but to learn from his example by asking themselves what values, institutions and contributions would remain after their lifetime.

Concluding his lecture, Baale said life was a gift from God and that the best way to honour that gift was through purposeful living.

According to him, while individuals may not control how long they live, they can determine how well they live and the impact they leave behind.

He said Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi demonstrated that a life guided by purpose, integrity, service and excellence continues to speak long after the voice has fallen silent.