By Igbotako Nowinta
With his Nursing certificate firmly in his hands, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital could no longer contain his magnificent ambition of becoming one of the successful professional Nurses in the United States of America. His doctrine of infinite patience and optimistic attitudes had already plunged him into the local chairmanship of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses & Midwifery (NANNM), in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where he piloted the affairs of the union with vigor, uncommon intelligence and astute responsibility. The NANNM is an octopoidal and all-embracing umbrella body of Nigerian Nurses nationwide. As an all- rounder, Mitarho Akpoyoware was a wonderful swimmer and a skillful athlete, he won several laurels for the UBTH School of Nursing during many organized competitions for Nurses across the federation. The rare door of professional opportunity eventually flung open in June 1993, when he utilized an employment program that was packaged abroad for trained Nurses, which landed him in the United States of America as a bonafide immigrant. His biggest dream had materialized!
I completed my primary school education at St Benedict’s Primary School, lsale-Aro, Osogbo, in June 1977, as a Bendel boy; and l was quite excited.
Shortly, after that, our father, the current Otota (Prime Minister) of Ovu-Ovuorie community, in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Isiokolo, Delta State of Nigeria, Chief Moses Akpoyoware – Onoyivwinta, received his ‘letter of transfer.’
As a staff of the then Post and Telecommunications (P&T), my father told us that, he had been posted to the then Bendel State, now (Edo-Delta States) respectively.
That year marked a mile stone in the evolutionary trend of our family in many ways. Specifically, it was the first time ever that we would be disconnecting physically from the western axis of Nigeria, after we had spent several fruitful years of our infancy there.
Secondly, our father, an extraordinarily brilliant man; gifted orator in his own right, used the historic situation to call for a ‘special meeting with his children’, which afforded him the opportunity to passionately admonish us never to look down on our studies, ourselves, and the abundant abilities that God almighty had buried inside us.
I will never forget that fruitful meeting. My father cautioned us to be very studious, smart, focused and careful as according to him, the then Bendel State was a different ball game, compared to Osogbo and other western towns we had been used to.
Therefore, as soon as we settled down in Benin City, during the third-term long school vacation of July – August 1977, my father quickly resumed in his duty post at the P & T headquarters, while me and my other siblings started looking for available avenues to continue our higher education.
Brother Mitarho (bros Mitty), as the first son of the house had already completed his secondary school education at Inisha Grammar School, near Osogbo, which is now the capital city of the State of Osun.
At Inisha Grammar School, bros Mitty (a boarding student) had successfully established a positive soul-print amongst his classmates and fellow boarders, who delighted in calling him: ‘the big boss’, as a result of his distinguished personality and brilliance.
My father, as a federal senior staff in Post & Telecommunications, was able to get brother Mitarho a clerical officer’s job within the same civil service in Benin City.
Bros Mitty did not stay too long within the Post and Telecommunications, as he had already imbibed that historic admonition of our father in 1977; he was already dreaming of doing something quite not common at that time in the life of our country.
With fixed steadfastness of purpose and clear sighted temper, he was looking for a path that had not been trodden before; a profession where he would be recognized and respected in the long run.
At that point in time, the Nursing profession was essentially designed and made available for mostly the females, but brother Mitarho took bold steps and made his own independent enquires because of his undiluted passion for the profession.
Not long after, he had purchased the entry form, sat for and passed the entrance examination into the School of Nursing of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Edo State Nigeria.
In the School of Nursing, as one of the pioneers/ pathfinders (male student Nurse), brother Mitarho started carving a niche for himself; the seed of academic excellence which he had sown cleverly at lnisha Grammar School sprang up.
Highly proficient and imbibed with the spirit of indefatigable industry, he studiously ranked himself as one of the promising students in his set.
With near fanatical fervor and commitment, he pursued his studies to become the best overall student in ‘Clinical Nursing,’ at the end of the final graduating examination, a feat that stunned some of his classmates because of his socializing tendencies as an extrovert.
As soon as he completed his Registered Nursing course of study (RN), he was offered employment with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), as a staff Nurse.
Subsequently, Mitarho Akpoyoware became a tutor in his Alma mata- the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) School of Nursing, where he succeeded in writing a most useful book (Foundational Nursing Material) for Nursing Students, that tremendously assisted many students within and outside Benin City.
Because our father had encouraged us to look at the highest places in life, he sought and gained admission into the nation’s premier University- The University of Ibadan, where he read for his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSc) honors.
With his Nursing certificate firmly in his hands, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital could no longer contain his magnificent ambition of becoming one of the successful professional Nurses in the United States of America.
His doctrine of infinite patience and optimistic attitudes had already plunged him into the local chairmanship of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses & Midwifery (NANNM), in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where he piloted the affairs of the union with vigor, uncommon intelligence and astute responsibility.
The NANNM is an octopoidal and all-embracing umbrella body of Nigerian Nurses nationwide. As an all- rounder, Mitarho Akpoyoware was a wonderful swimmer and a skillful athlete, he won several laurels for the UBTH School of Nursing during many organized competitions for Nurses across the federation.
The rare door of professional opportunity eventually flung open in June1993, when he utilized an employment program that was packaged abroad for trained Nurses, which landed him in the United States of America as a bonafide immigrant. His biggest dream had materialized!
How do l celebrate my eldest brother; a true brilliant fellow and an unparalleled personality in his own world; an achiever of no mean repute, that has so far attained this special age on this earthly plane – 60 years, than to roll out the drums from the wagon of obscurity ànd beat it excitedly, to wish him a ‘most super day’ of all days, and God’s continued infinite provision of good health, security, long life and blessings for him and his immediate family, hence this piece?
September 16th, is indeed a matrimonially captivating date for the Akpoyowares as, Mrs. Laura Akpoyoware, the virtuous Madam of the house equally shares the same birthday with her husband. So, it has been annual double-barrel birthday stuff for the remarkable couple.
Bros Mitty was born on September 16th, 1960, to the late Mrs. Mercy Tiro Akpoyoware nee Ogheneseruowho, and Chief Moses Onoagharakpote Akpoyoware – Onoyivwinta, both of Ovu-in-land, Delta State, Nigeria.
In spite of our humble beginning, Mitarho Akpoyoware has avoided spasmodic and cosmetic path to success, by devoting his energies to careful and dogged planning, that has brought him resounding triumphs.
For a man who has spent so far, twenty seven years in the United States of America, practicing a profession that he loves with his whole heart; a job that he has excelled in leaps and bounds, beyond reasonable doubt, pragmatically touching, affecting, encouraging, transforming, educating and soothing countless-health-related lives in diverse challenges and peculiar dimensions, indeed qualifies him fittingly as a raw material for excellence; a Nurse for all seasons; a fantastically essential and distinguished health worker cum Nigerian-American citizen.
In the course of his continued sojourn in the United States, Mitarho Akpoyoware has mobilized other professional colleagues, to donate and deliver several valuable practical training materials to student Nurses in the UBTH School of Nursing, Benin City.
Mitarho Akpoyoware who has had a terrific strength of purpose, is presently an Advance Practice Nurse, currently specializing in Psychiatric Mental Health. He is an educator in his own right, practicing in San- Antonio, Texas, in the United States, as a veritable embodiment of a peaceful, progressive, compassionate and upright citizen.
Talking about Nursing as a profession, the Merriam -Webster dictionary says: “nurses are licensed professionals who practice independently or are supervised by physicians, surgeons or dentists and who are skilled in promoting and maintaining health.”
Describing nurses as ‘heartbeat of the health care,’ author Shantay Carter (RN) averred that: “We are the faces that patient comes to know and rely on – patients will never forget how the nurses treat them. Remember, nursing is the number one most trusted profession.”
Nurses are different from other health care providers by their approach to patient care, training and scope of practice. Therefore, as a Nurse, bros Mitty is focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities, so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.
As a psychiatric mental health registered Nurse, Mitarho Akpoyoware’s job comes with unique stresses; he takes incredible patience, flexibility, careful listening, while therapeutic communication is fundamental on the job, which makes him one of the visible mascots for professional nursing in the United States.
As an educator, bros Mitty uses this most crucial part of the job in educating patients and their families on their diagnosis; he teaches patients how to manage their symptoms and explains treatment options.
As one of the most responsible Nigerian-American citizens, who is proactively living peacefully and contributing his needed quota to the sustainable development of the United States, (mostly at this feverish period of the pandemic Coved-19 menace), he has successfully added a fantastic feather to his laudable achievements by co-authoring a yet-to-be published gigantic intellectual/ patriotic product: ‘Nigerian Ambassadors in the United States.’
In the book, ‘Nigerian Ambassadors in the United States,’ this professional per excellence burning with the fire in defense of patriotism and ingenuity, lay bare his genuine desire to continue to be a great positive citizen of the United States, and to ginger other Nigerian citizens in the United States to always live decently, and see the need to activate themselves as outstanding and prodigious Nigerian ambassadors.
The work makes the strongest efforts, to expose and condemn, the unimaginable atrocities committed, and being perfected by Nigerian rulers against their fellow citizens, and as well glorify, in the most passionate way, some Nigerians in diaspora, who are blazing the trail in their different endeavors.
With the above product, Mitarho Akpoyoware has crystallized himself as not only an authentic voice of the Nigerian-Americans in the United States, but as an ambassador of a noble and worthy cause.
Nowinta wrote Where We Are: A call for democratic revolution In Nigeria
