HE made his mark as a doctor, notably as the personal physician to Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the magnetic politician whose election as Nigeria’s president on June 12, 1993, was controversially annulled by self-styled military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
The sudden death of General Sani Abacha, who extended the injustice, on June 8, 1998, followed five years of ruthless oppression of the pro-democracy opposition, including presidential claimant Abiola. Abiola’s similarly abrupt passing one month later on July 7, 1998, was supremely suspicious, particularly in the context of an intense campaign for his release from detention and restoration of his ruptured electoral mandate.
Dr Ore Falomo, who died on November 9, at the age of 77, was said to have been allowed to see Abiola about two weeks before his death, following demands that Abiola should have access to medical care. Falomo’s role in the Abiola saga showed his progressive complexion. He wasn’t a politician but was significantly involved in the pro-democracy effort intensified by Abiola’s travails.
Falomo’s position on Abiola’s death reflected his courage and forthrightness. He said in an interview: “There is no argument about Abiola’s death. He died on July 7, 1998 at about 3pm at Aguda House when he was being visited by an American delegation. He died shortly after being offered a cup of tea by the leader of the delegation. On that day, Abiola was very alert. He recognised Susan Rice whom he saw last in 1982. The Americans came with a flask containing tea. The flask had three layers. Why should they come with their own tea, special tea? Is it normal for visitors to come with tea and offer a prisoner? It was abnormal…It was a conspiracy.”
Falomo added: “It is now left to all of us to find the cause of Abiola’s death. He died 15 minutes after the tea. My conclusion is that the tea is probably fundamental to his collapse and sudden death. Abiola died in government custody. It is the duty of government to unravel the cause of Abiola’s death, after drinking a cup of tea… The Federal Government under General Abdulsalami Abubakar should be held responsible.”
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After studying medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, from 1962 to 1968, Falomo returned to Nigeria and worked in the Lagos State Department of Health (1971 to 1972) and Ikeja General Hospital ( 1972 to 1973). He started building his own hospital in 1972, which demonstrated his professional ambition and vision. By 1978, he had completed and equipped his Maryland Specialist Hospital in Lagos, where he was Chief Medical Director.
It is testimony to Falomo’s professionalism that many high-status figures patronised him. His hospital offered “access to the latest technology and facilities with a compassionate, patient-centred care approach” and “a broad range of high-quality health and wellness services.” According to his daughter, he was unhappy about “the health services in Nigeria because of the deplorable state of things.” He was a former Chairman of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital’s management board.
His daughter shed light on his medical practice: “He was personal physician to the late legal luminary, Chief FRA Williams, in the last nine years of his life. Williams called my father when he was 75 and told him he needed to change his doctor…Chief Williams told my father that he had a fear that he may not make it to 80 in life… There was a celebration when Williams became 80. Then he made it to 84. Williams was ever grateful to God and to my father for that.”
Falomo was not only concerned about the health of Nigerians, he was also concerned about Nigeria’s health.
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