The conferment ceremony which co-incided with the 5-year Strategic Plan Dissemination workshop of the Nigerian Medical Association, was attended by very eminent personalities, including the President of the World Medical Association, Dr. Kgosi Letlape.

As early as 10 a.m., the venue of the grand ceremony, Hotel Presidential, was already filled to capacity, with the audience anxiously awaiting the arrival of the distinguished FNMA awardee who had earlier in the day commissioned fifty (50) brand new (“tear rubber”) Toyota Corolla cars for Medical Consultants in the Rivers State Public service. When the occasion eventually kicked off (after the arrival of his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Otunaya Odili) it was evidently manifest that the audience was in for an extremely historic event.

Following a Welcome and Introductory address by the President of NMA, Dr. Sunday Daniel Gana, mni, and presentations by the Immediate Past President of NMA, Prof. Wole Atoyebi, late Dr. Ben Aigbomian, mni (COMPASS Technical Director), and Prof. Friday Okonofua, the event frenetically snowballed into the high point of the day - the decoration of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Otunaya Odili with the fellowship of NMA (FNMA) by the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Daniel Gana, mni.

Heralding the decoration was a panoramic citation robustly delivered by a Past President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Dominic Osayande Osaghae, mni. In his citation were revelations of the whys and wherefores for the conferment of the fellowship award on Dr. Peter Odili. These included his luminous track records of excellent leadership, his contributions to the Association and the Medical Profession, and numerous other feats.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Peter Odili thanked the Nigerian Medical Association for the rare honour done him. He promised to improve on his contributions to the Association, and to humanity at large. He also promised to offset the indebtedness of NMA to the World Medical Association, as well as facilitate the attendance of more delegates of the NMA at the 57th annual General Assembly of the World Medical Association scheduled for October 11-14, 2006 in Sun City, South Africa. He thereafter conferred on the President of the World Medical Association, Dr. Kgosi Letlape, the citizenship of Rivers State.

It is on record that Dr. Peter Odili has not only positively changed the health status of the people of Rivers State, but has also demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership, with service delivery to the people as the fundamental philosophy of his Government.

A medical graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Dr. Peter Odili as a member of the Nigerian Medical Association has made innumerable contributions to the Association and the Medical Profession in general. Only last year, Dr. Peter Odili donated a brand new Toyota Hiace Bus to the Nigerian Medical Association. MEDINEWS congratulates His Excellency, Dr. Peter Otunaya Odili, for this meritorious award of FNMA. We believe that this is one award well merited. We pray that this award fires his fervour and commitment to greater service.