By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Pelican Valley has begun talks with Nigerian medical specialist doctors in diaspora, especially the United States, to attract over a $100million healthcare investment to Kobape corridor of Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria.
The envisaged project which is expected to sit on 100 hectares of land when finally berthed, will also redefine healthcare service delivery in the State and country as well as end the phenomenon of medical tourism abroad among Nigeria’s privileged class.
The concept is to ‘bring smiles, empathy and compassion to the healthcare sector in Nigeria with a state – of – the – art hospital.”
The foreign medical team which was received in the Pelican’s Ecostay Apartments at Kobape by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, Ambassador (Dr) Babatunde Adeyemo on Wednesday, revealed that their members are quite successful in their various fields of specialties in medicine, adding that they were only looking for ways to give back to their country and people out of what Providence had made possible for them.
Nobody Will Develop Nigeria Except Nigerians Themselves – Badejo
Tolu Badejo, a member of the visiting team and resident in the United States of America, gave an insight into the project, the choice of Babatunde Adeyemo as a contact point to help chart a path towards sourcing unencumbered land as well as people of like minds to drive the initiative.
Badejo said the need for quality healthcare delivery has not been lost on Nigerians but lamented that the country is not yet there in terms of meeting the global standards of quality healthcare service.
He wondered aloud why in 2025, Nigeria, a quality country with so much potentials – both human capital and financial potential does not have a World Class healthcare system run by Nigerians.
He explained that the quest to fill this long persisting void informed the team’s journey from the United States to Nigeria, particularly Ogun State to see the Pelican Valley CEO, expressing the confidence that “Nigeria is not short of the resources needed to accomplish this goal.”
He said, “When we started talking about what is happening in Ogun State, we have a vision to develop the health sector in this area (Kobape) right. And I started to look and ask, ‘who can we talk to ?’ So, I found you through a gentleman on a YouTube (platform) and also Google, and then we when through your profile independently”
“It appears you are someone who had a vision similar to what we are desiring to do. This is why I reached out to you and you were receptive to the idea and said, you might be willing to connect us to people and those you’ve worked with and help us develop some lessons you have learned through the process.
“I think it is not lost on anybody that the need for good and quality health care in Nigeria, you know it is not lost on anybody. Everyone knows that Nigeria is way behind when it comes to healthcare as far as the global standards of quality healthcare is concerned. And for many years, I’m sure there have been initiative to try to improve the quality of healthcare in Nigeria but not much, may be some progress has been made but there is still a long way to go right.
“And a few of us are thinking, meditating and researching the third world. This is 2025 right! Why can’t Nigeria, a quality country like this with so much potentials, people and capital, human potential and financial potential not have a state – of – the art World Class healthcare system that they can command as its own? Not something brought in from somewhere else that is built, run by Nigerians. Okay. That is where the idea came from and we believe that Nigeria is not short of the resources needed to accomplish this goal.
“So, that is why we are here to learn, to connect with visionaries both government and private visionaries like you and see if there’re people like us around here. We believe there are okay! So, that is why we are here.”
“One point that needs to be highlighted is the fact that a lot of countries are developing their own nations, they are going out extracting resources and developing their own nations. It is high time that Nigerians recognised that if we don’t build Nigeria, every sector, nobody is going to come and do it for us. It will take another 100 years, we will still be finding that person. It is only Nigerians that can develop Nigeria themselves.
“And if you look at the Dangote Refinery as an example, see how he is commanding attention now around the world. There is no reason why Nigerians cannot do that in every other sector. It shouldn’t be in oil and gas. Health, arts, science, education every other industry should do well. We are Nigeria’s, we do well when we put our minds to it. We should put our minds to it. It shouldn’t be just individual’s successes alone. The communal success is what really determines the success of a nation and of a people.
“It is a collective effort. That Green White Green emblem should be lifted. It should be respected around the world. It is a collective task to make that a reality. It is hight time that happened, that Nigerians wherever they go, they command respect.”
…Indian – Americans also interested in the project – Dr Erhi Badejo
Also speaking, Dr. Erhi Badejo, described Nigerian healthcare specialists abroad as group of brilliant people who are more than determined to give back to people, communities and the country as a whole.
She said that American – Indians who are specialists in oncology, cardiology, endocrinology and other specialties are also interested in the project and have strongly signified readiness to contribute in a number of ways towards the realization of the goal.
Erhi said, “Nigerians are brilliant. We are brilliant group of people but many a time you find people succeeding individually but as an organisation, as a group, as a society it is not happening. How about doing that in healthcare? When we go to many of our teams out there, many of them are Nigerians. We are talking of surgical specialties you have all Nigerians, you begin to ask, ‘who is left at home (Nigeria).’
“So, our hope is that why are able to transit back and forth, we are able to create a system that helps people, an ecosystem so to speak where you bring everything you need, the nurses are inbred, the physicians are inbred yes the specialists just to come with a whole lot of service. It is a $100million (healthcare project) to start off with. This is one of the projects in position and few other things that come along with it.
“And the other concept is medical tourism. We have a lot of that going on. How about putting an end to that? If you have a specialist, you already have the expertise and you have the level of excellence why not do it right here(Nigeria)? Look at you(Adeyemo)and what you are doing right here(Ecostay Apartments).
“Many years ago when I was resident doctor, one of my Indian Professors approached me and said, “Erhi, I want to build a hospital in Nigeria.” I said, ‘Sir, lets hold it for now until when I finish school.’ When I was done with residency, he came again and said, “Ehri, I want to build a hospital.” I told him, ‘let me spend sometime practicing medicine.’
“He came back again in January and said , ‘Erhi, I want to build hospital in Nigeria and I want it to be in Ogun State.’ Now, this gentleman he has never been to the border but he went to the map and said he wanted to be here, this area (Kobape). This is what I wanted.’ And more than that, he happened to be one of the Secretaries of American – Indians Association and this is the second largest organisation to the American Medical Association. He said, ‘I’m one of the Secretaries, I will bring my people, find me a land.’ So, these are the quality of people who are coming to help and many of them are coming. I’m gonna come to do X, Y surgeries for three weeks and go back, let me just have a taste of what Nigeria looks like. Can I bring my family. Absolutely.’
“There are many doctors who want to do this. Yesterday, we had a conversation with another doctor from Chicago. And they have come to say, ‘Yes, I will come for two weeks, I will serve, I want to give you my best and I will go back home. Why not serve the people of Ogun State and Nigeria? Why not?”
…We’ll Harness Our Political Goodwill To Solicit Govt’s Support On Road Infrastructure – Adeyemo
Speaking earlier, Ambassador Adeyemo, who said he was more than thrilled by the team’s vision, pledged to harness the political goodwill of Kobape and environs towards getting government’s, diasporan investors and the community support, collaboration and efforts to improve on the road infrastructure in the area so as further make the area the right place to host the planed state -of -the- art medical facility.
The real estate entrepreneur said that the project fits into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”s administration on health care sector, stressing that given the President’s penchant to welcoming any idea bordering on growth and development, the proposal might receive a favourable disposition if it is brought to his attention and that of the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
Adeyemo added that he would also bring the proposal to Hon. Abike Dabiri – Erewa, the Chairperson of Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), whom he said has flair for any good thing coming from the diaspora and always ready to support it.
Adeyemo said, “Sincerely, I’m really marvelled and I’m thrilled. I’m a kind of person that so much believes in vision. You know, vision took me here. I started my real estate business from extremely difficult terrain that even the giants in the real estate industry in Nigeria might not be able to start business there. And I started it there with less than N2.5million but the only magic that I did is just being patient, being honest and buying time with my investment and always adding value. That is the only thing. No magic, just financial prudence, discipline, patience.
“This dream that you are looking at, it is not something that would happen overnight. It takes a whole lot of patience. A lot of oritutu at origbigbe will come. A lot of people that will come looking for immediate benefits. They will come but only time will tell, they will come and leave. Some will still come but to only milk the little you have. You will discover them with patience.
“However, you will still get people of like minds that will come to join you. I have began to see light at the end of the tunnel. This is a vision. I have never put my hands into something that will not come out fine. It has never happened. You know, for the fact that I ‘m getting involved in this, I believe it is already a success by God’sgrace. And before you came by the Grace of God, I have been preparing, I have been looking for the likely pitfalls, things that can kill this development and dreams. The major problem in Nigeria is bureaucracy and land administration is very porous. If you are able to get a land and able to play a bit smart, you will get a land that has no problem with Omoniles, as government is not a Father Christmas so, don’t expect cheap land deal from government anywhere in Nigeria.
“Oil is no longer what it used to be. Land is now the new Oil. There are so many people that will come, they want to establish a university just to gather land from the government and in the end nothing is happening on the land. So, for the government to trust sometimes, it is a big issue. So, it is better you do your self – help. I consulted with the Baale, there is a land banking, someone has about 100 acres in Kobape and I told the Baale it would not be a bad idea if his community should have such healthcare facility and that he should talk to the owner of the land. I told him to speak to the person who bought the land about 20 years ago and nothing is going on there. We can’t continue like that.
“Having such facility here (in Kobape) is going to be a pride not only to the Ogun State Government, not only to the Pelican Brief and Pelican Ecostay Apartments but to the nation at large.
“I want to assure you that we are going to use our little personalty to support the project. And as CEO I will do the best within my reach to bring Honourable Abike Dabiri – Erewa into this, she is the Chairperson of Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). She is our sister and I believe she has this flair for any good thing coming from the diaspora. We will take the proposal to the state government, our Governor is a listening Governor, possibly he will grant us audience on the project and back it up with just one infrastructure needed.
“We can also take it nationally. I believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – led administration is for progress and development. He is a visionary leader and anything that has to do with growth and development of this country which aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda easily falls into it. We are going to synergize all the activities to ensure success.
“I’m kind of person who doesn’t look at personal interest when I see something productive. I push personal interest aside. We are looking beyond that. We want to change the narrative to encourage diasporas to come into this country to lift this nation up.”
The visitation of the foreign based medical consultants was however wrapped up with a symbolic planting of a N2m worth of trees at the Pelican’s Ecostay Apartments, a tradition which the Pelican CEO said will continue for the next five months towards further boosting the greenery concept of the setting, ensuring steady fresh air and healthy living for the residents of the technology – drive Smart Homes.
