Nigerian artist Kunle Adewale has received the College of Medicine Fellow in the United Kingdom. Adewale is a Nigerian-born, UK-based multimedia artist and mental health advocate.
Adewale founded Arts in Medicine Projects and the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship, training over 1,000 professionals from 60 countries and impacting over 60,000 people. He was first nominated as a Future Health Leader and was among interdisciplinary professionals, including Medical Doctors, Scientists, and Creative Health Practitioners, driving social change in the health sector. The College of Medicine, through the Future Health Leaders programme, envisions a new generation of innovative healthcare leaders who are equipped to navigate and transform the evolving health landscape.
According to Dr. Michael Dixon, Chair of the College of Medicine, Head of Royal Medical Household, “The Future Health Leaders programme is a unique opportunity to cultivate your leadership skills and vision, equipping you to navigate and transform the evolving healthcare landscape. We recognise the vital role that innovative and effective leadership plays in shaping the future of health care, and we are excited to support you on this journey. Over the next two days, you will engage in dynamic sessions to enhance your understanding of leadership, change-making, and project development.
“You will have the chance to share your ideas, collaborate with your peers, and receive invaluable feedback from esteemed mentors in the field. This is not just about learning but about fostering a community of future leaders passionate about driving positive change in health care. This recognition is not merely a title; it is a commitment to apply your skills and knowledge to improve health care in alignment with our mission at the College of Medicine. We believe that each of you has the potential to make a significant impact in your respective fields. I encourage you to take full advantage of this experience. Embrace the discussions, ask questions, and share your insights.”
His work supports diverse groups across Nigeria, the UK, Ireland, and the US. Adewale has received multiple accolades, including Adewale Day in Cincinnati, and he serves on Jameel Arts and Health Lab and WHO Steering Committees promoting arts and health integration. By fostering a community of forward-thinking professionals, the programme aims to inspire and empower participants to address the challenges facing the health sector today and in the future.
Read Also: Tinubu flags-off reconstruction of Lagos-Ibadan-Sagamu Expressway
According to Adewale, “My visionary and pioneering leadership efforts in Arts and Health at local, national, regional, and global levels, the scalability and sustainability of this movement have brought us to this remarkable recognition, from a Future Health Leader to officially becoming a Fellow of the College of Medicine in the United Kingdom. This achievement reflects my unwavering commitment, collaboration, dedication, leadership, and influence in the transformative power of Arts and Health across cultures, disciplines, and generations. Being a Fellow of the College of Medicine affords me the privilege of contributing to the College’s mission, UK health systems and communities. Since relocating to the United Kingdom in 2022, I have collaborated with academic institutions, arts and culture organisations, experts, professionals, and non-profit leaders in the UK.”
The College of Medicine Fellows and UK Future Health leaders were joined by UK ministers, Members of Parliament, policymakers, WHO representatives, directors of research, scholars, social prescribing leaders, arts and culture leaders, mental health leaders, a commonwealth leadership institute representative, and UK health leaders.
The event took place at the prestigious Windsor in London.
Adewale’s journey into health and well-being began during a personal mental health crisis decades ago, marked by struggles with confidence, low self-esteem, suicidal ideation and depression, among others. Through the power of the arts, he discovered light and a profound sense of purpose in his mission to make the world better. After studying Fine Arts at Auchi Poly, and Fine and Applied Arts at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, South West Nigeria, he forged and pioneered a new path at the intersection of arts and medicine, witnessing firsthand its incredible impact on diverse populations.
While he was in Nigeria, through collaborations, Adewale pioneered the National Arts and Health Conference, National Arts in Health Week, and several arts and health projects with government agencies, academic institutions, public health institutions, and arts and culture organisations, to facilitate arts for healing for children, young adults and older adults with critical health conditions.
Since his arrival on the UK soil in 2022, Adewale has been a guest presenter and speaker at University College London, Kings College London, Healing Arts Scotland, organised by Scottish Ballet, Jameel Arts and Health Lab, WHO Europe, Culture runners and the University of Edinburgh Scotland.
Adewale produced and curated the Black Leaders Summit in Oxford, supported by the Atlantic Institute. He collaborated with universities and museums and African leaders in the diaspora to host Arts and Health Pavilions for Black History Month in London, Wolverhampton, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Cork and Dublin, Ireland.