Alltimepost.com Sincerity of Purpose
By Idahosa Musa
Professor (Mrs.) Idia Ize-Iyamu, the first female Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), on Monday assumed office amid jubilation by staff.
Addressing the jubilant workers who lined the road with solidarity banners, Ize-Iyamu promised to make her tenure very pleasant and improve on the positive status of the institution.
She said being the first female to UBTH is a plus to all women and good omen to the people saying “once you have a woman in the kitchen, you are sure there will be food on the table.
“Men, women, youths and children, I stand here to represent all of you. This hospital belongs to all of us and by the special grace of God, we will take it to the next level.
“We will do things that would make the State proud as well as make our president proud because our President Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has graciously given us a female CMD.
“I appeal to you to cooperate with me because if we are united, we will do it together. UBTH will be great, not only in Edo state but in the South -South in Nigeria, in Africa and in the world at large.
“However, I cannot do it alone. So, I ask that all of you stand by me, stand behind me, stand beside me and work with me. Let’s do it together.”
Earlier, the outgoing CMD of the Hospital, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, said that it was not common in UBTH for an outgoing CMD to hand over to a substantive successor.
He added that the Teaching Hospital is the only one having a substantive CMD out of the 12 health tertiary institutions in Nigeria whose Chief Medical Directors’ tenures have ended.
Prof. Obaseki commended the hospital community for the warm reception given to Ize-Iyamu, saying “you (Prof. Ize-Iyamu) are a history maker, you are the first female CMD in the history of UBTH.
“You (Prof. Ize-Iyamu) are the first Dentist to be appointed CMD in the history of UBTH, these I believe are the first of many firsts you will achieve as you begin your tenure as the head of this hospital.”
