In Memoriam
Francis Adedoyin Olusiji Owosina
(1929-2016)
Founding Father of SICOT in Nigeria
First Nigerian SICOT Member in Nigeria
SICOT Vice President of Africa, Near & Middle East (1984-1987)
Dr Francis Adedoyin Olusiji Owosina was a pracademic Orthopaedic Surgeon in Nigeria and the West African sub-region. Francis, as he was popularly called by his peers in the SICOT International Council, was the pioneer Nigerian SICOT member, the first Nigerian Secretary/National Delegate, and a Vice-President of SICOT for the region of Africa, Near and Middle East (1984-1987).
For a very long time, Nigeria could not achieve the status of a member country in SICOT, but the diligence, doggedness and perseverance of Francis influenced his peers and junior colleagues to join the society. We are proud that the current statistics show that Nigeria has more than one hundred financial members in SICOT (the second largest in Africa). His activities in SICOT at national and international levels as well as his contribution to the development of orthopaedics worldwide were appreciated when he was made an honoured member of SICOT in 1997.
Born in Ikenne, Ogun State of Nigeria, in 1929, Francis attended the Government College, Ibadan for his secondary education. He later proceeded to the University College Ibadan, an affiliate of the University of London. He was awarded the fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh through examinations in 1968 and obtained a Masters degree in Orthopaedics (M.chOrth) from the University of Liverpool in 1970.
His educational records showed that he was a brilliant scholar. He gained admission into the Government College, Ibadan on scholarship, finished the MB, BS with the award of a two-year scholarship to undergo postgraduate training in Britain and completed the FRCS programme in a record time. His distinctive performance at the FRCS examinations earned him a commendation that paved way for his enrolment into the M.chOrth programme after the admission procedures for the year had been concluded. His thesis on “Orthopaedic problems in Sickle Cell Disease” was adjudged the best of the year (1970).
Dr Owosina brought this brilliant performance into national and international orthopaedic practice. On the international scene, he attained the position of Vice-President of SICOT, Vice-President of Rehab International and Vice President of International Road Safety. He was Executive Board Fellow of the International Society of Prosthetics & Orthotics. He was a consultant and expert adviser to the United Nations and World Health Organisation and served as the Health Technical Coordinator for the United Nations Transitional Programme for Namibia. He was also the National Coordinator of the Bone & Joint Decade.
At national level, he put in place the building blocks of modern orthopaedic practice in Nigeria. He introduced hip replacement and spine surgery in the early 80s. As the Medical Director of the pioneer Orthopaedic Hospital (The National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi), Dr Owosina established the Residency Training Programme in Orthopaedics for doctors and the post basic Orthopaedic Nursing School for Nurses. Both programmes have produced hundreds of manpower who are practising in different parts of the country. He was the brain behind the designation of the hospital as a WHO Collaboration Centre for research and training in orthopaedics and rehabilitation.
We acknowledge Dr Francis Adedoyin Owosina as a visionary leader, a consummate orthopaedic surgeon, a mentor, and a medical educationist.
Dr Owosina will be remembered for initiating, actualising and sustaining the VISION of SICOT in Nigeria.
Written by Wahab Yinusa - SICOT National Delegate of Nigeria
