HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONOURABLE BETTA EDU. A QUINTESSENTIAL SELFLESS GREAT LEADER.

 

1. Happy Birth Day Honorable Minister Betta Edu as you marked your birthday on October 27^th, belatedly.                                                                             

2. History will not forgive us if we refuse to recognize the greatness which you personify even at such a young age, with many trailblazing and landmark achievements already and your selfless service to Nigeria and humanity in general.

3. Right from a very young age destiny handed over huge responsibilities to you in recompense for your hard work and excellence which could not be hidden even with a bushel. At the age when most young people of today were still engrossed in frivolities and fast life, you distinguished yourself by acquiring top level education even from the citadel of learning like Harvard in United States as a Certified Doctor. You did not stop there rather you went further to acquire Master's Degree from another renowned citadel of learning, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, including many other professional certificates that time and space will not permit me to itemize here.

4. I guess people around you must have been wondering what was the fuss and your infatuation with top level education not knowing that you were equipping your self for the task ahead which providence has entrusted into your hands as your own contribution to humanity through health services.

5. It was not long after all the expertise and education acquired, that  Cross State came calling where you first got your recognition as a core professional and an achiever with the first step as an adviser and later entrusted with the huge task of steering and shepherding the ministry of health as a commissioner. You embraced the position with so much vigour and dexterity hence went ahead to rewrite the history of that ministry with watershed achievements.

6. The health care system in Cross River was revived with primary healthcare optimized and taking down to every nock and cranny in the state under your leadership.

7. Hitherto before you took over the Ministry of Health in Cross River state, the entire state health sector was in shambles with dilapidated or no infrastructure at all across the state with nothing to rely on to provide simple health services to people across rural communities of the state that were in dire needs for that.

8. Consequently, you rolled your sleeves and went straight to introduce lots of reforms including the creation of Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency that was instrumental in facilitating and the establishment of a functional Primary Health Care Facility in every ward across the state, thereby taking heath care to where it duly belongs which is to the grassroots.

9. It is interesting to note that you were actually appointed Commissioner for Health in Cross River state at the eve of COVID-19, a deadly outbreak of virus that shocked medical systems across the world including most developed countries like US, that lost many people to that virus.

10. You were not deterred by the embedded and attendant risk associated with health system that period, rather you confronted it head on even at the detriment of your life and health. Infact to me, your impact in Health Care System in Cross River During the COVID-19 era was indeed the defining moment of whom you are and the large and selfless heart you have for humanity.

11. It justified your recognition and appointment by the Cross River Governor at that time even against the hue and cry by many who felt you were too young to be appointed to manage such ministry at such a dicey and critical moment.

12. Cross River State went ahead to record one of the lowest incidences of COVID-19 cases across Nigerian states and you initiated  vaccination of Refugees with COVID-19 vaccines globally, al credits to you.

10. You staked your life to save many during the deadly COVID 19 virus era where many legal practitioners lost their lives, but you were never scared nor deterred in such selfless service to humanity. No wonder, you won several awards in recognition of that during that period including award as Hero of COVID-19 by National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYC) in (2020).

11. Consequently, you wrote your name in GOLD through the impact you made especially that period. It showcased you to Nigeria and the world as a whole as a core professional and astute medical practitioner who abides by the medical Hippocratic Oath, which emphasizes prioritizing patient’s safety and well-being at all times even at the detriment of yours.

12. Apparently, having won anything possible to win in Cross River State in recognition of your hard work and professionalism, National assignment came calling. Many of us who knew you were not surprised when you were appointed the Woman Leader of the largest party in Africa today, APC. By implication making you the youngest Woman leader in Africa and in Nigeria since this 4^th Republic. It was not a fluke that you were appointed Woman Leader of APC, considering your antecedence and pedigree in Cross River State with litany of records and achievements.

13. In the same trajectory, you brought a fresh vigour and vision to that position by gulvanising women and pushing for greater participation and recognition of women in politics. You pushed and worked assiduously to get APC Govt to affirm to 35% affirmative action for women or at least improve on it from where PDP left it thereby promoting a strong female gender participation in Nigerian politics. Lots of young women were mentored and supported by you to empower them participate and rise within the party structures and elective positions, thereby making your party APC very popular across Nigeria at grassroots level dominated by women. You simply made APC a household name across Nigeria especially through women you mentored and empowered across 36 states of Nigeria.

14. It was not a surprise when higher responsibility came calling as you were appointed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs in 2023 to oversee a ministry that has its imprints in every household in Nigeria through women and children.

15. As a loyal fan, I recall watching your attendance at Red Chambers of the senate as first class Ministerial nominee of APC Govt., where you gave a clear and lucid roadmap on how to revamp the health sector and arrest the migration of medical workers to other countries. You spoke so much about your plans to halt the “JAPA” syndrome bedeviling and ravaging the health sector to curb the migration so as to save our health sector. You advocated for healthcare for all Nigerians. In your words you said before the senate:

16. “Nigeria should be headed at the speed of light to achieve Universal Health Coverage, that means healthcare for all irrespective of whether they have the money, they are from any tribe, or they belong to any religion. They should wherever they are be able to have access to quality healthcare. For us as a country, we have challenges that stare us in the face beginning with governance and leadership of the health sector, fragmentation, duplication, wastage of funds, poor coordination amongst key players in the health sector. Nigeria suffers right now from what they call “JAPA” syndrome.

17. These words summarized your vision through that Ministry and your desire to draw and religiously follow a road map that would have redefined and headlined the Ministry and the health sector in general before you were halted temporarily.

 
You were the youngest of the ministerial nominees in the list then.

18. Your meteoric rise to top echelons of governance in our great country Nigeria at a very young age attests to your capacity, integrity and ability to make great impact due to your high intellect, professionalism, dedication, integrity and leadership skills that have made you cynosure of all eyes.

19. You staked your life to save many during the deadly COVID 19 virus era where many legal practitioners lost their lives, but you were never scared nor deterred in service to humanity. No wonder, you won several awards in recognition of your service during that historical period in our history.

20. Its not a fluke that you have received over 600 meritorious awards nationally and internationally in recognition to your commitment to serve humanity and save lives.

21. A record of excellence, integrity, dedication and hardwork cannot be rubbished or diminished by mere due process oversight, especially from a first time minister who was not privy and hence needed time to get acquainted with the internal procedure incumbent on her portfolio.

22. You indeed deserve our support and encouragement as a young and visionary leader and not chastisement and profiling as you are still very young and open to the workings of our system to take corrections where need be and improve on what you have achieved so far.

23. You remain role model to many young people especially young women across Africa who want to toe your line of hard work and dedication to service.

Once again Happy Birthday honorable, on behalf of young Nigerians, I wish you many years of good health, more wisdom and long life to impact on many more lives.Merci!

 

Anayo Ekeanya (MBA, BSc, DAIT), former SA, Media and Publicity to a Senator of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.