Top 3 nurses in Nigerian history who made significant changes

With Nurses Week right around the corner, we thought it appropriate to share this article with you about Nurses throughout history in Nigeria who made significant changes in the Nursing field.

We are featuring the top 3 influential nurses who changed the course of nursing.

1. Kofoworola Abeni Pratt

Kofoworola Abeni Pratt (Nursing, 1950) was the first black nurse in the NHS and a pioneer of nursing in post-independence Nigeria.

Kofoworola was born to a prominent Nigerian family in Lagos in 1915. Like Florence Nightingale, she grew up wanting to be a nurse, but her father did not consider it a suitable career. Instead she trained as a teacher and worked for several years at the United Missionary College in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Kofoworola married Olu Pratt, a Nigerian pharmacist who later studied medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hostpital, London. In 1946 Kofoworola began studying nursing at the Nightingale School at St Thomas’ Hospital, qualifying as a state registered nurse in 1950. She worked for the NHS for the next four years, the first qualified black nurse to do so.

In 1954, Kofoworola returned to Nigeria. Following independence in 1960, she rose to become the first black matron of University College Hospital, Ibadan. In 1965 she was appointed Chief Nursing Officer for Nigeria. She was also the vice-president of the International Council of Nurses and later became Commissioner of Health for Lagos.

Kofoworola was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal (the highest international distinction a nurse can achieve) in 1973 and she was made a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in 1979.

2. Agholor Mary Ozuruonye

Agholor Mary Ozuruonye popularly known as “Ronye” is a multi-talented lady with weird imaginations and big dreams. She is a Registered Nurse, preventive health advocate, Certified Public Speaker, health management consultant, On Air Personality, Actress and event comperé. She has special interest in teaching, teenage mentorship, the girl child/gender equity, entrepreneurship, brand promotion, media and entertainment.

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Ronye is the CEO of Ronye Life Consult, a registered consulting brand in Nigeria aimed at building a healthy and informed society using public speaking and media/entertainment as tools.

As a Nurse she left hospital practice for school health service in a prestigious international school where she worked as school nurse/health instructor for over six years. This school experience stared her interest for teenagers and she founded the Mentoring Teenagers Initiative (MTI)

Ronye’s love and passion for media earned her the names; “Media Nurse”, “Radio Diva”, in her various radio shows. She has worked as the programs manager at Sekere Radio, Radio manager of Living Proof Radio and currently the founder of Nightingale Radio the online radio aimed at giving first hand health information to the society and providing a unified voice for the nursing profession.

Ronye is the convener of the Extraordinary Women Network, a platform to empower, motivate and build confidence in women. Where women learn, support, and grow together.

Ronye was appointed as the Ogun State Media Director for National Volunteer Group on Covid-19, a position which made her play a major media campaign role in Ogun state during the peak of Covid19 pandemic.

To her credit, she has won so many awards, among which includes the 2019 BAM Outstanding Health Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Undoubtedly, Ronye has done so well for herself in Profession, talents, passion and interest with making an impact in the society as her major goal, no wonder international media platform BBC, Nigerian Newspapers, blogs and magazines have featured her, sharing her story to inspire younger generation.

Ronye is a regular voice on radio for health shows and talk shows. She has spoken in notable events and hosted shows on various platforms.

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Mary Ozuruonye Agholor is a fearless, confident, outspoken, hardworking lady who believes all things are possible: “If you can think it, you can have it, you can do it”

3. Olubukola Mary Akinpelu

Olubukola Mary Akinpelu is a renowned and esteemed figure in the field of Nursing.

With years of dedicated work and research, she has made significant contributions to the improvement of nursing education in the country.

Olubukola has an impressive academic background

She completed her undergraduate studies in nursing and subsequently obtained her qualifications as a certified nurse at the Taxes Board of Nursing. Her expertise lies in the area of community health education and promotion.

Olubukola has conducted extensive research on various nursing and health issues affecting communities, including malaria prevention, and maternal health.

One of her notable research projects focused on developing effective strategies for educating rural communities about the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene practices.

Her findings helped shape hygiene campaigns across the nation. Moreover, Olubukola has been actively involved in the development and implementation of nursing and health education policies in Nigeria.

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Thanks to her efforts, Nursing in Nigeria has become more comprehensive and accessible.

Olubukola forward-thinking approach has contributed to the creation of innovative programs that address the specific nursing and health needs of diverse populations.

Throughout her career, Olubukola has been an inspiration to many aspiring nurse educators. Her dedication and passion for improving nursing are truly admirable.

Nurse education is not just about disseminating information; it is about empowering individuals to make informed choices,” Olubukola emphasizes.

This quote captures the essence of her approach to nurse education. Olubukola’s impact extends beyond academia and policy-making.

Engaging in community outreach, she educates about nursing and health, urging behavior change for disease prevention.

No one should be left behind when it comes to nursing and health education,” Olubukola emphasizes.

She firmly believes in the importance of reaching marginalized populations also leveraging the power of social media to achieve this goal and ensuring they receive the knowledge and resources necessary for better health.

The impact of Olubukola work in nursing and health education can not be overstated. Through her expertise, research, and policy influence, she has made a significant difference in the lives of countless Nigerians.

Her dedication to improving nursing, health education, and empowering individuals has inspired a new generation of Nursing and health educators in Nigeria and beyond.