Dr. Joseph Olumuyiwa Monehin, a medical doctor and Public health physician with United States Agency for International Development, (USAID) though from Igbinsin Oloto , grew up in Okitipupa and he is very passionate about the growth of the southern senatorial district of Ondo state. In this interview with the polity. Com, Monehin bared his mind on issues as they affect Okitipupa town and other matters. Excerpts :
The Polity – How will you assess Okitipupa on the basis of social and infrastructural development?
Dr. Monehin – Sincerely the story of the old Okitipupa division compared to what is on ground now is a very sad tale. Way back, we used to believe that things will improve with time. Let me give you an example : Growing up as a child in the 70s, the only sport complex we knew here was that place called “Government field”. Up till now, that “Government field” still remains the same thing that it was over 40 years ago. We do not have any other sport complex than that, and it is a big shame that a community that has produced many sport professionals could not boast of a decent sport complex. When I was growing up, we had the fishery terminal, we had “Oluwa Glass”, we had Okitipupa oil palm company (OPC), all functioning and buoying the economy of this state but it is unfortunate that all of them are now moribund. It is indeed a sad story!
The Polity – How was the journey into becoming a public health physician like?
Dr. Monehin- I don’t see myself as someone who will adjudge himself as accomplished, I think I am still on the track of being an accomplished person. I did my primary school here at UNA primary school, now first African primary school; I got in, in 1976 and got out in 1982 and from there, I proceeded to Methodist High school, Okitipupa and I completed my o’level in 1987. Thereafter, I went for the HSC program at the Federal school of Arts and Science at Ondo where I spent a year. Then I proceeded to the University of Ilorin in 1988 where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Medicine and surgery and then I went back for my post graduate in Public health after which I also did Masters in Public Health at the University of Ibadan. I followed it up with the fellowship programme which I did at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Complex. I did another Masters in Public Administration at the University of Ilorin. I started my development career later on by working on a project in Lagos on a Public Health concern and about eight years ago, I joined United States Agency for International Development as a career public health personnel.
The Polity – You had your secondary school education at Methodist High school, Okitipupa. What have you and your class mates been able to do to add value to your alma mater?
Dr. Monehin – Well, those of us who graduated in 1987 have decided to have a re-union . We all came from different part of the world and organised a programme which motive was to add value to the students and gave them reason why they should be steadfast in their academic pursuit. We offered the students career talk to expose them to the numerous career options available and provided reading materials for the school. We are not unmindful of the limitations in the teaching environment where teachers are expected to teach students while they are being owed backlog of salaries. So we understand the obvious limitation of the teaching profession lately. So, our colleagues from diverse professional background talked to the students on the different discipline they could settle for in their career choice and the students really benefitted from the programme, while the school management and staff appreciated our humble contribution.
The Polity – There is this growing sentiment that the standard of education is falling. Do you agree with this opinion?
Dr. Monehin – I think there is no straight forward answer to that. In our time, we had no access to a lot of modern facilities available to students of this age ; we had no cell phone, we had no computer and so on. Students today are better equipped and more exposed than students of secondary school age during our time. However, the level of hard work that was prevalent during our time in secondary school is getting seriously eroded. For instance, while we were in secondary school, there were no miracle centers, there were no cases of collaboration between teachers and students to facilitate or aid the process of examination malpractice. Way back, when you sit for an examination, nobody doubts your result because the process was so thorough that the society would agree what you got was what you deserved. But these days, there are all manner of approaches that tilt towards corrupting the sanctity values and ethics of internal and external examinations. The idea, I guess is, this is not something happening on a small scale ; I guess it is happening on a large scale. Hence, the idea of honesty, diligence, examination integrity are gradually fading out.
The Polity – Do you see any hope for Nigerian students in the midst of these rot?
Dr. Monehin – Well, I think we still encourage them to be diligent, to be hardworking, to imbibe the virtue of not following the band wagon to cheat during exams. For instance, some of my colleagues and I are involved in scholarship patronage to students in Junior and senior secondary schools who stand out in their studies. This is also a way of encouraging diligence and scholarship among students. We have the Abodi Faduyile scholarship grant, the Mode Akindele scholarship award and many more. We have been doing that for eight years now and one of the major condition students must fulfil to benefit is that they must not involve in any of these vices threatening the standard of education in our clime.
The Polity – Taking it beyond Okitipupa, what is your assessment of political development in Ondo state?
Dr. Monehin – Well, I am not a politician, I must confess to you and my view of issues in the polity is shaped by what I see and what I hear, which I know to be true. Having said that, I must say honestly, that we in the South senatorial district have been seriously short changed by this government. A lot of people from this area mobilized patronage and support for this government even against their own son, believing this government will be fair and passionate to them, but what do we have now? Total neglect and abandonment! My assessment of the dynamism of this government is gleaned from this prism that in the southern senatorial district, this is a harsh era for us in Ondo state politics.
It has never been this bad: we have not had electricity for over three years and no help to restore electricity supply had come from the appropriate quarters. All the industries are dead and the only thriving business here is “okada” business. The common man whose votes put government in place is hopelessly hungry.
The Polity – Talking of political patronage and support of this government for the southern senatorial district, until recently, the Speaker was from Okitipupa. Don’t you think that is something spectacular coming from this axis?
Dr. Monehin – I don’t want to comment on the speakership of Hon. Jumoke Akindele. Be that as it may, that she was from here changed nothing ; it didn’t put light in our homes, it didn’t revive the moribund industries and the people could not feel any impact. There are
still index markers of neglect and abandonment everywhere as you can see!
The Polity – What is your expectation of the incoming government?
Dr. Monehin – Well, my expectation is not just for this area, rather it is for the entire state. I will expect that the incoming Governor will focus more on reviving the moribund industries spread across the state so as to provide sustainable IGR for the state, I will expect that the incoming government help to revive falling standard of education as well as allowing the people in the hinterland benefit from the dynamism of a grassroots inclined primary health policies that go beyond mere surface scratching health agenda which presence is felt only in the major cities at the expense of people in the far Coastal areas of the state. The polity – The super rich in Nigeria go abroad when they have health challenges. Is it that they don’t trust the health facilities in Nigeria or they simply don’t believe in the nation’s health personnel?
Dr. Monehin – I don’t agree it is only the rich ones that do that. Everybody patronizes what his finance can afford. Even you, when you want to eat, you are selective on the strength of what your finance can afford. But those who do not have the means will go to just anywhere because that is what there finance can afford. Same thing goes for attending to one’s health issues. For some people, their health challenge cannot be managed here and since they can afford it, they go abroad to treat themselves. The issue of health is a personal issue; the only time it may not be personal is when you are using government fund to take care of your health challenge.
The polity – If not Medicine, what would have been your career alternative?
Dr. Monehin – Sincerely, there were two things I really wanted to be beside being a medical doctor : I wanted to be a journalist, just like you. I had a strong passion for it when I was young. I also wanted to be a lawyer. The way I see it, if I had not studied medicine, I ‘d have been either a journalist or a lawyer. We all are educated, but only lawyers are “learned”, so they claim (laughs). Many of the political development we have had in this country have been possible because of the contribution of strong legal icons and the administration of criminal justice is hinged on their quality jurisprudence.
