CURRICULUM VITAE AND BIODATA FOR DR OSHOBA FESTUS ODUNAYO ABIMBOLA

Dr. Festus Odunayo Abimbola Oshoba, a devout Christian was born just before Nigeria’s independence on the 26th day of December 1958 to an Ijebu building materials merchant, late Chief Emmanuel Oreyemi Oshoba and a housewife, Mrs. Regina Oshoba. He had his primary and secondary education at Catholic Schools at Ile-Ife in Osun State where his parents settled. He passed out from St. Johns Grammar School in Ile-Ife in 1976 with the West African School Certificate in the Division One category. His leadership traits and character were discovered and developed in this school especially at the Xaverian Movement of which he was President in the 1973/1974 session.

In recognition of his academic brilliance he was employed to teach mathematics and physics to the junior classes of forms one to three immediately secondary school post graduation. He had a brief sojourn as a Clerical Officer at the National Bank of Nigeria at Sagamu between 1977 and 1978 where he gained admission into the University of Ilorin as the first set of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) admitted students to study Medicine.

He won many undergraduate prizes and eventually emerged as one of the two best graduating students in Medicine in 1984. He had his internship at the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode before proceeding to the Public Health Department of the Lagos Island Local Government at City Hall for National Service. He immediately joined the Lagos State Civil Service as a medical officer in October 1986.

He did his postgraduate training in Ophthalmology in a record four year period from December 1988 to November 1992 when he passed at first attempt the fellowship examinations conducted by the West African College of Surgeons and later that of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in May 1993. He has had several skills and knowledge upgrade in Cornea and anterior segment as well as public health ophthalmology. He is trained in cataract microincision surgery and phacoemulsification.

He was reabsorbed back as a Consultant in the Department of Ophthalmology at the General Hospital Lagos in June 1993. He then rose through a dint of hard work to become the Chief Consultant Ophthalmologist Special Grade 1 on Salary grade level MSSS 1 equivalent to Grade level 17 in January 2001 and the Head of Department of Ophthalmology in April 2005.He is a trainer of Residents and Diplomates in Ophthalmology for the West African College of Surgeons and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.

Dr. Oshoba went through a course of study in Corporate Managerial Administration at the Chartered Institute of Administration from April 1996 to October 1997 where he bagged the professional qualification of Associate of the Chartered Institute of Administration (ACIA) and rose through the ranks to become a Fellow in August 2003 (FCIA). His keen interest in Administration culminated in his pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration, which he obtained in 2002 from the University of Lagos. Having satisfied all the requirements of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), he was certified as a Professional Manager in April 2003 and admitted as a FULL Member.

His keen Interest in ensuring the best for the public culminated in his bagging another Masters Degree in Public health from the University of Lagos in 2005 and his wide travels to many parts of the globe. He bagged a bachelor’s degree in Law from the National Open University of Nigeria in January 2015. He is also a journalist and has just completed a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism in February 2018.

As Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council, he moved the Council from Lagos to Abuja and secured the land on which the Secretariat was built in Abuja. He pioneered the introduction of compulsory Continuing Professional Education and Development for all doctors in Nigeria.

He is an entrepreneur who established Ladkem Eye Hospital, a specialist hospital fully registered with Lagos State Private Hospital Registration Authority Foundation on the basis of total quality management in eye care delivery services which has been providing excellent eye care services delivery to Nigerians and Foreigners alike since its inception over twenty years ago. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Ladkem Eye Hospital with employment of sixteen staff which comprises of qualified and well experienced Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Nurses, Accountant and Administrative Personnel.

He has always been a mature and dependable leader since his secondary school days without precipitating any crises. His honesty and transparency has always brought him forward in leadership positions when positive and communal ventures are being undertaken. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria. He is a keen sportsman and was a member of the medical committee of the Nigerian Olympic Committee. He plays lawn tennis at the Mainland Tennis Club at the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos.

He is also a talented artist; actor and dramatist who well celebrated for his lead role in the 1993 Convocation play - The Palwine Drinkard written by Kola Ogunmola. He was a small scale farmer with interest in snailery and fish farming. His absolute commitment to the greater glory of Nigeria was manifested in the public lecture he delivered on November 29, 2003 at the Lagoon Restaurant at the Annual University of Ilorin Lagos Branch Alumni Dinner titled- Nigeria-A great Nation waiting to be rediscovered. He has contributed to knowledge through many dissertations, peer review articles, publications and public lectures.