A Day of Compassion and Courage: From the Halls of Service to the Heart of the Benin Kingdom
Today marked a luminous chapter in the stewardship of the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), as she gracefully bridged two worlds—the world of institutional welfare and the sacred sphere of communal well-being. *It was a day where her voice carried both the warmth of leadership and the solemn promise of continued service to humanity.*
In the morning hours, the CMD received members of the *Senior Staff Association of Nigerian University Teaching Hospitals,* addressing them with clarity, sincerity, and the tenderness of a leader who sees her staff not merely as workers, but as pillars upon which the hospital’s excellence rests. She emphasized *staff welfare* as the foundation stone of progress, reaffirming her commitment to build a UBTH where every staff member feels valued, supported, and uplifted. In her speech, she reiterated her *promise of the 10kg Christmas rice donation to all UBTH staff,* describing it not as charity but as a symbol of unity—a gesture of appreciation to the men and women who keep the flame of healthcare burning even in challenging times.
Her words flowed like a gentle river—steady, reassuring, and nourishing—reminding everyone present *that a hospital cannot heal its patients if it neglects the hands that labour within its walls.*
As the sun ascended, the CMD journeyed from the administrative heartbeat of UBTH to the historic *Oval of the Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin,* where she declared open the *Pre-Igue Health Outreach,* held in collaboration with the *Aguobasinmwin Movement World-Wide.* Standing before the palace—an ancestral citadel where the spirit of the Benin Kingdom breathes—she spoke with reverence and conviction.
Her speech at the palace resonated like a prayer carried by the wind. *She reaffirmed her devotion to safeguarding the health of Edo indigenes, declaring that as the Benin Kingdom prepares to celebrate the sacred Igue Festival, health must be the golden garment with which the people clothe themselves.*
As a symbol of her commitment, she presented a First Aid Kit Box to His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin, describing it as *“a humble vessel of healing—an emblem of UBTH’s readiness to stand with the palace in nurturing the wellness of the Benin people.”*
Like a gardener sowing seeds of hope, she pledged continuous collaboration with the Aguobasinmwin Movement, promising that this noble health outreach would not be a fleeting moment, *but a tradition—a yearly covenant of care anchored in service, unity, and cultural preservation.*
Thus, in one day, the CMD stood in two arenas—one filled with the dedicated workforce that powers the hospital, and the other adorned with the heritage and sacred rhythm of the Benin Kingdom.
In both places, her message was the same: *health, compassion, and continuity.*
Her steps today were like the strokes of a painter on a grand canvas—connecting people, uplifting spirits, and strengthening the bridge between UBTH and the community it serves.
*Written By:*
*ABURE P. A.*
*Manager, Corporate Services and Partnership Unit, UBTH*
