Distinguished members of staff, colleagues, and dedicated healthcare professionals,
Today, on International Workers’ Day 2025, we pause to reflect on the hard work, resilience, and unwavering commitment that each of us brings to this institution and to the Nigerian healthcare system. Our theme this year – “Occupational Health and Safety: A Fundamental Right at Work”—is more than just a slogan; it is a powerful reminder that in our noble profession, well-being is not just for the patients we serve – it is for us, too.
Recognizing Excellence in Service
First, I convey commendations from the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate CON, and the Minister of State for Health, Hon. Dr. Ishaq Salako, for our commitment to service. The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, an anaesthesiologist witnessed firsthand our coordinated response to a mass casualty event, ensuring no fatalities despite our limitations.
This commendation is a testament to our swift, coordinated, and life-saving response, an achievement that reflects the strength, unity, and professionalism of our workforce.
The Silent Guardians of Health
In our hospital halls, we witness the best of humanity—nurses tirelessly monitoring patients, doctors performing life-saving procedures, technicians ensuring machines run flawlessly, and administrative teams holding the system together.
Yet, while we dedicate ourselves to saving lives, how often do we ask: Are we protecting our own? Are we working in conditions that honour our safety and well-being? Are we taking good care of ourselves?
Like bees in a hive, we function best as a collective unit, each contributing to something far greater than ourselves. But even the strongest hive will collapse if its workers are exhausted, overburdened, or neglected. Our commitment to healthcare must begin with a commitment to ourselves—to a safe, supportive, and dignified workplace.
The Right to Safety: Not a Privilege, but a Necessity
Throughout history, sacred texts have used honey as a symbol of wisdom and healing. The Quran (Surah An-Nahl 16:68-69) teaches that bees are divinely guided to create honey—a remedy for humankind. Similarly, the Bible (Proverbs 16:24) reminds us that pleasant words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones, while Deuteronomy 32:13 describes honey as a blessing from God.
But what is wisdom if it does not guide us to protect those who labour day and night to deliver healing?
Occupational health and safety must be an institutional priority—not an afterthought. Every worker deserves:
- A workplace free from hazards and preventable risks.
- Access to proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Policies that safeguard against burnout and excessive stress.
- A culture of mutual respect, fairness, and psychological support.
This is not merely a demand—it is a fundamental right.
A Worker-Friendly Administration
Under the current administration, we have made significant strides in fostering a worker-friendly environment at OAUTHC:
Prompt and merit-based promotion exercises and career development initiatives.
Prompt payment of emoluments and entitlements, ensuring financial stability for staff.
Organizing seminars, symposia, and grand rounds for continuous professional growth.
Provision of ergonomic seating to improve workplace comfort.
Local production of detergents and cleaning lotions.
Implementation of call duty allowances for codified nurses.
Wage rise for casual staff.
Palliative locum appointments while awaiting definitive employment waivers.
Career development programs for stagnated Tailoring, Laundry, and Health Attendant staff.
Retirees are now better celebrated, and we have placed retired staff on NHIA coverage, ensuring continued healthcare access for those who have served this great institution.
These efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to creating a workplace where every staff member feels valued, supported, and empowered.
The Queen in the Hive: A Lesson in Leadership
In nature, bees do not wait for external intervention when crisis strikes. When their queen dies, they act with urgency, intelligence, and collaboration. A new leader is not merely born – she is made! nurtured by the collective support of the hive.
Likewise, great hospitals are not built by individuals—they thrive on teamwork and shared responsibility. It is not just the duty of management to ensure safety—it is everyone’s duty. Speak up when something is wrong. Look out for each other. Demand the standards you deserve.
A Commitment Moving Forward
Today, the OAUTHC Management commits to:
Intensify efforts to ensure workplace safety protocols are fully implemented and enforced.
Strengthen training programs in occupational health, stress management, and emergency preparedness.
Ensure a workplace culture that prioritizes dignity, fairness, and mutual respect among all cadres.
Because we cannot be the healers if we ourselves are unwell. We cannot protect life if our own is endangered.
Conclusion: Let Us Rise
Let today be more than just a celebration. Let it be a turning point, a renewal of our commitment—not just to our patients, but to ourselves. Let us move forward stronger, wiser, and unshaken in our pursuit of excellence.
You are not just workers—you are by divine grace guardians of health, warriors of care, and custodians of life itself.
Stand tall. Demand safety. Lead with wisdom. Because in this hive of healthcare, every single worker matters.
Let us align our efforts with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to uplift the standard of living and ensure a prosperous future for all Nigerians, including those who serve tirelessly in the healthcare sector.
Thank you, and Happy International Workers’ Day!
Professor John A.O. Okeniyi,
Chief Medical Director,
OAUTHC, Ile-Ife.
