After official airport formalities at the Johannesburg International airport, the delegation embarked on a pleasant two hour ride to Pilanesberg, Sun City, South Africa, venue of the 57th annual General Assembly of the World Medical Association. At Sun City, the delegation was warmly received by the NMA President, Dr. Sunday Daniel Gana, mni who had arrived South Africa two days earlier to participate in the WMA committee meetings and sessions of the African Regional body of WMA (AFMA). Thereafter, the delegation was duly briefed and lodged at CABANAS hotel, and later at the magnificent, prestigious, ultra-luxurious, and kingly PALACE hotel where NMA delegates were treated like Kings and Queens.

While in Sun City, South Africa, NMA was powerfully represented in the proceedings of the WMA General Assembly by the President, Dr. Sunday Daniel Gana, mni, other members of the National Officers' Committee, and other delegates and observers. The 57th WMA General Assembly in South Africa afforded the NMA delegates not only the opportunity to positively influence the deliberations and decisions of the World Medical Association, but also to experience the alluring features and glittering atmosphere of Sun City. This is because Sun City (a.k.a. Lost City), located in the North West province, is adjudged to be one of the world's most distinctive international tourist resorts.

Bestriding Sun City is South Africa's 4th largest Game Reserve, the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is a scenically splendid, serene and incredibly populated Game Reserve that has a rich collection of Wild life, including the African lion (King of all Cats), the trudging Elephant (the giant of the bush), Zebras, Rhinos, Giraffes, e.t.c.

Sun City is certainly a classic example of man's ability to recreate his environment. While in South Africa, the NMA delegates also visited Johannesburg (a vibrant City of Gold), Alexandria and Soweto. At Alexandria, the delegates had an opportunity to see the house where Madiba, Dr. Nelson Mandela, first lived after escaping from his parents who had attempted to forcefully contract a marriage for him.At Soweto, the NMA delegates toured popular spots such as the celebrated Hector Petersen Memorial, Regina Mundi Church (the church raided by the police during the apartheid era in an attempt to foil political gatherings), the Freedom square (a.k.a. Walter Sisulu Centre), Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, and informal settlements/squatter camps in Kliptown. The delegation also touched the soil of the original home of Madiba, the Past President of South Africa, Dr. Nelson Mandela. The house located on Vila Kasi Street in Orlando west, is only a stone's throw from the home of Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu (which makes Vila Kasi Street the only street in the world on which the houses of two Nobel Peace Prize winners are located).

At the Hector Petersen Memorial, the NMA delegates heard and read intriguing revelations, historical and general knowledge facts about Hector Petersen, the first victim of the 1976 Soweto Students' uprising. Soweto, a city of contrast and home to over three million people, undisputedly represents the people's hard-fought struggle against apartheid, the people's struggle for freedom, the legend of the 1976 students' uprising, and the stoic face of resistance politics. Indeed, Soweto is a rich tapestry of living history reflecting South Africa's struggle and emergence from apartheid and colonialism.

After a most engaging seven and half days in the wonderful country of South Africa, and realizing that there was an urgent need to come back home and begin the process of adapting and modifying experiences gained in South Africa, to better Nigeria's health care system and the Nigerian Nation, the NMA delegation formally departed the Johannesburg International airport on Tuesday, October 17 at about 3.45p.m. aboard South African airlines, and safely landed at the International wing of the Murtala Mohammed airport, Lagos, at 8.45p.m.

To say that the South African experience was dazzling is an understatement. It was indubitably another journey through life, an excursion into the historic commitment of a people to positively develop their God-given resources, an exposition of patent patriotism and transparency in governance (which is lacking in most African nations), and most fundamentally, an intriguing revelation of a people's resistance to all forms of existential injustice to humanity.

In the words of one of the NMA delegates “the South African experience was wonderful. I have travelled to very many countries but this particular trip was very unique in manifold ways”. While MEDINEWS looks forward to the 58th annual General Assembly of WMA in Copenhagen with great fervour, we wish to commend the NMA President and other National officers for the reverberating impact made by NMA at the 57th annual General Assembly of the WMA, and also for effectively and efficiently making capital of the support extended the NMA by Dr. Peter Odili.

The song of Sun City may be over, but the memories will surely linger on. Surely, it was an exhilarating experience.

Story compiled by
Dr. Osahon Enabulele,
Editor