News
Japa Syndrome Cripples Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital

The National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL) is barely limping along, as it contends with the exodus of a large volume of its personnel for better working conditions outside Nigeria.
In recent years, Nigeria’s health sector has suffered, and continues to suffer, from huge depletion of critical manpower fleeing abroad for more attractive conditions of service. The trend has been labelled Japa syndrome in local Nigerian parlance.
Checks revealed that NOHIL is particularly hit by Japa syndrome; as its operations have been greatly hobbled by acute shortage of personnel across many of the departments and units.
At the premier orthopaedic institution, which serves as a centre of the World Health Organisation (WHO), patients who do not make the cut for the day’s booking to be registered as fresh patients or for such procedures as X-ray or physiotherapy or be attended to by doctors, routinely resort to passing nights within complex at the mercy of the elements.
Patients and their relatives or other caregivers, according to findings, opt for such arduous nights in the open as an effective strategy for minimising logistics expenditures and other costs of booking the names of patients early enough for their various appointments.
It was learnt that the worst-hit by acute personnel shortages is the Radiology Unit, which, as early as 7:00am attains its daily count of 20 patients booking for X-ray, as any or all other persons reporting after that figure are firmly ordered to try out another day and subsequently dismissed.
It was observed, however, that staff of the hospital also indiscriminately smuggle in names of persons favoured based on familial or pecuniary relationships for X-ray services at the Radiology Unit.
There is also an X-ray centre operated besides that of the hospital’s by a private sector service provider, Crestview Radiology Limited, which was recently overwhelmed by huge demand when NOHIL’s X-ray machine broke down.
Notably, patients can only be attended to at the Crestview X-ray centre strictly based on request forms referrals endorsed by NOHIL doctors.
It was gathered that, in order to ensure that each of their patients get adequate care, physiotherapists at the Physiotherapy Unit have resorted to keeping the maximum number of patients they attend to daily at below 10.
Speaking under anonymity, a female outpatient, who is a resident of Ijoko in neighbouring Ogun State, lamented that she had suffered several misses while seeking to have her initial X-ray session.
She confessed with a hint of a victorious smile that she was only able to have that initial x-ray, having risen and reported at the Radiology Unit at 4:30 AM after she joined many others who did same in passing the night along the hospital’s corridors.
She disclosed that she had adopted the same strategy of sleeping over at the hospital in order to successfully keep up with the appointments for other X-rays and her physiotherapy sessions.
Explaining that bills for the various hospital services were high and already draining her purse, she noted that her finances, in the prevailing harsh economic conditions in Nigeria, had been dealt additional blows because she, until she settled for sleepovers at the hospital, has been expending so much on transportation to cover all what turned out to be fruitless trips between her Ijoko, Ogun State residence and NOHIL.
Affirming to have eased so much of the stress on her purse by passing nights at the hospital in order to meet appointments next mornings, the woman said that she was actively passing on the very beneficial advise that someone offered her for others to follow to access services at the hospital more promptly while keeping their costs in check.
Several other outpatients, all under anonymity, had spoken in a similar vein of resorting to passing nights at NOHIL in order to cut costs in accessing services promptly.
Located along the arterial Ikorodu Road, NOHIL, which is projected to accommodate 450 patients, reportedly had started as a Military Rehabilitation Camp for prisoners of war returning from the Second World War.
Following the recognition by the Colonial Medical Services in 1945, the institution had become a medical establishment known as Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital.
NOHIL had undergone a number of name changes, including from Igbobi Hospital to Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and onto its current name.
At various times between 1945 and 1977, the institution had come under the administration of the Federal Government and Lagos State Government. Since 1977 to date, however, the hospital has remained a Federal Government health institution.
In its early days, according to website of NOHIL, “the sphere of influence of the hospital extended to other parts of the West African sub-region, Central Africa and Angola.”
The hospital further stated that the facility was a repository of materials and resources for students during the same period.
In the present times, except the Federal Government takes urgent remediation steps to arrest the exodus of NOHIL’s personnel for greener pastures abroad, the hospital may very soon be rendered comatose.
Checks confirmed that the Japa syndrome does not only cast a pallor on the bragging rights of NOHIL to the tag of “premier health institution”, but also poses an existential threat to the hospital.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
News
Police Rescue Kidnapped Victim, Recover Stolen Vehicle

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have rescued one Osazee Okugbowa from suspected kidnappers.
Moses Yamu, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, stating that the victim was rescued by operatives of Ologbo Division, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, on Friday, 8th February 2025, at about 5 pm.
Yamu said the victim was kidnapped on 7th February, 2025 by five armed men from his residence in the presence of his family in the Power Line area of Owanoba community.
He stated that the victim had since been reunited with his family after receiving medical attention.
He, however, added that the command is on the trail of the suspects in a bid to arrest them.
Meanwhile, Yamu disclosed that the command has recovered a silver-coloured Toyota Yaris with registration number 535 DR, which was snatched from its owner at gunpoint at Upper Mission Road Extension in Benin City.
He said the car was recovered by operatives of the Okuaihe Division in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area, following a distress call received on 6th February 2025.
He added that the operatives intercepted and pursued the car snatchers, who abandoned the vehicle at Iguomon Community along the Benin-Agbor Road.
Yamu said the car has been handed over to its owner while efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest the suspects.
News
Soludo Rebagged FG Rice Shared To APGA Members-APC

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has protested the dominance of the Chukwuma Soludo-led All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the affairs of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
The party chairman in the state, Mr Basil Ejidike while speaking at the weekend said the dominance of Soludo in affairs that concern Anambra even at the federal level has become a challenge to the state chapter of the APC.
He said all appointments coming to Anambra from the Federal Government had nominees from APGA, while even rice distributed to all states to cushion the effect of hardship had Anambra’s share rebagged with the picture of the governor and distributed to only APGA members last Christmas.
Appealing to Tinubu, Ejidike said, “Sir, may I seize this opportunity to draw your attention to some challenges confronting the APC in Anambra State, that require your kind intervention.
“The issue of appointments made by the Federal government without recourse to the party is inimical to the growth and success of the party in our state, as these appointees do not reckon with the party at the state level.
“Whereby, most of those who have made and are still making heavy sacrifices for the party have not been adequately rewarded and appreciated, many of those who have gotten juicy Federal Government appointments in the past were mainly non-party members, drawn especially from our rival All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).”
He said the trend has not served as a source of inspiration or motivation to party members, and is threatening its strength and enthusiasm of emerging victorious in the Anambra 2025 project.
“At the ward, local government and state levels, our members are being discriminated against, as APGA does not recognize or reckon with those who are not their members in the distribution and allocation of government appointments and incentives.
“More worrisome is the fact that what we as a state get from the federal government as incentives and palliatives are usually sent through the state government.
“Sequel to the above, non-APGA members are denied access to them. It is on record that bags of rice sent as palliatives by the federal government were repackaged, and Governor Soludo’s pictures and APGA logo embossed on those bags, thereby giving the impression that they were provided by the governor.
“This arrangement has continued to diminish our party’s influence and reach within the state, and we are terrified to say the least.
“APC in Anambra have come with a passionate appeal, asking that you (Ganduje) intervene and save our members in Anambra from neglect.
“Your kind intervention, Sir, will bolster the morale of our committed party men and women towards the task ahead,” he added.
News
2025 Budgets: I Hope Snake, Monkey Won’t Swallow This One-Atiku

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned against the misappropriation of funds allocated to the health sector in the 2025 budget, referencing past bizarre claims of animals—such as snakes, termites, gorillas, and monkeys—being blamed for missing public funds. He stressed that such absurd incidents must not be allowed to happen with resources meant for healthcare.
Amid dwindling resources and reduced external support for healthcare services, Abubakar emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in the government’s $1.07 billion budgetary appropriation for the health sector. He called for mechanisms to ensure public audits and proper utilization of every kobo earmarked for healthcare.
The former vice president specifically questioned the government’s failure to provide a detailed breakdown of how it intends to spend over a billion dollars in the primary health sector. He noted that while investment in primary healthcare is crucial for providing Nigerians with accessible and affordable medical services, it would be unethical for the government to allocate such a significant sum without disclosing its intended use.
“The Federal Government has announced plans to spend a whopping $1.07 billion in the primary health sector, in addition to the N2.48 trillion initially proposed for healthcare in the budget,” Abubakar noted.
“What is even more concerning is that this additional funding is largely sourced from foreign loans, with a small portion coming from an international donor agency. Since these loans must be repaid, Nigerians have the right to know the full details and ensure that the expenditure is transparent and well-justified,” he added.
Abubakar further criticized the government for failing to commit to any physical infrastructure projects within the health sector, suggesting that this raises red flags about potential mismanagement or fraud.
According to the government, the funds will be used to improve governance in healthcare and strengthen primary health services nationwide, including recruitment, training, and retention of healthcare workers and teachers. However, Abubakar argued that the government has a poor track record in managing public funds, particularly in humanitarian services, and that Nigerians should not accept vague explanations without clear accountability mechanisms.
“It is difficult to trust this administration’s claims, especially given its history of misleading Nigerians about investments in social infrastructure,” he said.
He pointed out the government’s misleading statements about improvements in tertiary hospitals, despite the reality that many of these institutions lack basic amenities, such as stable electricity supply.
“The Tinubu administration has failed in the health sector due to poor funding. Major diseases in primary healthcare, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, remain critical challenges. If this government is truly committed to healthcare, it must clarify how it plans to use this intervention fund to tackle these diseases,” Abubakar stated.
He also criticized the government’s response to the recent withdrawal of American aid for HIV/AIDS treatment, noting that its proposed intervention of N5 billion is grossly inadequate.
“If the Tinubu administration does not present a clear framework for managing this significant health sector investment or subject it to proper legislative scrutiny, then it may be safe to conclude that this is yet another case of public funds being mismanaged under the guise of serving Nigerians,” Abubakar concluded.
-
Sports3 days ago
Eaglesite Football Academy Targets Grassroots Dev
-
News3 days ago
Relatives Of Deceased Pension Contributors Get N82bn –PenCom
-
Niger Delta3 days ago
Police Arrest Boy, 13 For Using Gun To Threaten Colleagues
-
Opinion3 days ago
EFCC’s Alternative Approach Against Cybercrime
-
News3 days ago
NDLEA Busts Drug Kingpins In PH, Lagos As Suspects Excrete 125 Heroin Wraps
-
Oil & Energy3 days ago
OPEC+Commits To Monitoring Oil Production Adjustment
-
Business3 days ago
Nigeria, Still Africa’s Largest Economy – World Bank
-
News3 days ago
Soludo Rebagged FG Rice Shared To APGA Members-APC