The President of the World Medical Association, Dr Osahon Enabulele has described the death of Nigeria’s first Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Prof Shehu Umaru as a loss to the medical profession and Nigeria’s health sector.
In a press statement made available to Vanguard on Monday, Enabulele said the news of the demise of esteemed Prof.Umaru Shehu CFR came to him and the association as a great shock.
He said: “I consider his death at this critical time of our country and medical profession as a huge loss, and a very sad one indeed.
“We have truly lost an icon, an erudite scholar, brilliant administrator, and a very altruistic leader of the medical profession and health sector.
“When as President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, I led a delegation of the NMA on a courtesy visit to the then President of Nigeria, Dr.Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, in the year 2013, Prof.Umaru Shehu CFR availed us his presence and made very valuable propositions to advance Nigeria’s health sector. That was a clear example of his passion and commitment to the health of Nigerians.
“Prof.Umaru Shehu CFR was such a distinguished medical elder and leader who was down to earth and remarkably devoid of any hubris.
Prof. Umaru Shehu undeniably danced well on the various stages of life, with very luminous legacies left behind. We shall therefore surely miss him but God knows best why he had to call him at this time.
“I extend my deep condolences to our NMA President, the Chairman and members of the Borno State branch of NMA, and the people and Government of Nigeria. I pray God to comfort his family and all of us, his colleagues. May his great soul rest in perfect peace,” he stated.
