Wale Aboderin: Low Day for High Profile Heart Hospital … Buhari, Atiku, Tinubu Mourn

Segun Atanda/

The First Cardiology Consultants (FCC) Hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos, where the Chairman of The Punch Newspapers died on Wednesday, has a rising profile of handling successful heart surgeries.

Indeed, the hospital established by Dr. Adeyemi Johnson, described as a foremost Intervention Cardiovascular Specialist in Nigeria and the US, was recently celebrated for handling two open heart surgeries, the first of its kind in Nigeria.

Reports say the first patient had become incapacitated with fatigue and shortness of breath for several months. Investigations showed that he was born with a hole in the heart, and the surgery entailed removing a patch from the front of his heart and then it was sewed to cover the hole after completely stopping the heart, and temporarily transferring the functions of the heart to a heart-lung machine. The heart was subsequently restarted after the repair and patient recovered.

The second patient had blocked heart arteries which caused damage to the heart muscle and caused him chest pain even when carrying out minimal activity like walking a few steps. Tests performed also at FCC showed blocked heart arteries in several places. Again, the heart was stopped (arrested), blood diverted to heart – lung machine and new blood vessel taken from his thigh and was used to jump the blocked areas (bypass).

The surgeries were carried out by a team led by Dr O. C. Nzewi from Belfast, Ireland. He was described as a world renowned heart surgeon. Dr Nzewi and his team used FCC’s newly opened, dedicated Operating Facility and ICU unit.

The heart surgery program is intended to reduce the cost of carrying out such advanced heart operations abroad with the attendant costs in foreign exchange.

Convinced that FCC could live up to his expectations, going by its reputation, Aboderin placed his heart in the hands of the celebrated surgeons at FCC.

The surgeons chose open heart surgery against what is known in medical cycle as angioplasty, a method of doing heart repairs without opening the heart.

At the end of the surgery, Aboderin’s heart refused to beat again.

Nigerians received the news of Aboderin’s death with shock.

He died at 60, and the heart link brought memories of early deaths in the family.

His father, the late James Olubunmi Aboderin (the Parakoyi of Ibadanland), who established The Punch, died at 50 on February 28, 1984.

Wale Aboderin’s brother, Jaiye, also died when he had a heart attack on December 3, 2004, while he was playing a basketball match.

Jaiye, who was married to a movie actress, Stella Damasus, died at the age of 33.

In a case study citing Aboderin and others in 2001, the World Health Organisation (WHO) report on life course perspectives on coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes, suggests developing policies focused on early life, monitoring growth trajectories of those born into socially or biologically disadvantaged families.

Meanwhile, the Aboderin family and The Punch have been receiving condolences and tributes from prominent Nigerians led by President Muhammadu Buhari, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), led by Prince Nduka Obaigbena, and Mr Festus Keyamo SAN have also sent out condolence messages in press statements.

The NPO, consisting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said it was saddened by the news of the untimely death of the Chairman of the Punch Group of Newspapers.

“Wale, a consummate sport enthusiast, was jovial, amiable and easy going. His death is a big blow, not just to the Punch Group, but to the entire media landscape of Nigeria and Africa,” Obaigbena stated.

“We offer our condolences to the Aboderin family and the Punch Group,” he added.

President Buhari had led the outpouring of condolences in a statement by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in Abuja today.

Buhari commiserated with all members of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the media and sports industry in the country on the death of the respected entrepreneur and philanthropist.

The President believed that Aboderin, who was greatly admired by his peers in the media and sports industry, would be long remembered for his resourcefulness, managerial proficiency and invaluable contributions to the growth of these sectors.

National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has huge investments in the media, described Aboderin’s death as a huge loss to the media and sports world.

Tinubu commiserated with the Aboderin family in a condolence letter, released by his Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman, in Lagos today.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Chairman of Punch Newspapers, we lost Wale at a rather young age when we still needed him to continue to be with us.

“At 60, he still had a lot to offer us but within those three scores though, he made appreciable impact and touched and changed lives.

“As Chairman of Punch, taking over from his uncle, the actuary, Chief Ajibola Ogunsola, Wale continued to maintain and sustain the excellent journalism Punch is noted for, ensuring that the newspaper remains where it should be.

“Though he trained as a pilot, he was also a sports enthusiast. He particularly loved basketball to the point that he floated Dolphins Female Basketball Foundation.

“He was at one time the Chairman of our Basketball Association in Lagos.

“His death is a huge loss to the Aboderin family, both immediate and extended. The media and sports worlds, which he traversed and impacted positively, have also lost an outstanding partner.

“My deep sympathy and condolences to his wife and two children; I mourn with the Aboderin family, the Punch Newspaper, the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and the media generally.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described the death of Aboderin as heart breaking.

He condoled with the immediate Aboderin family in particular; the media, especially the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the teeming lovers of Punch newspapers worldwide.

“In today’s world, 60 years is too young an age for anyone to pass on with their lofty dreams.

“Aboderin’s untimely departure is certainly heartbreaking: painful to the family, a monumental loss to the fourth estate of the realm and the nation at large,” Abubakar said.

The former Vice President noted that the deceased had been in the vanguard of sustaining the vision of his late father and founder of the Punch group of newspapers.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan also described late Aboderin as a great Nigerian.

Ologbondiyan said Aboderin was a quintessential administrator and very ingenious entrepreneur, who committed his resources towards the development of Nigeria.

He said that Aboderin’s legacy in publishing a credible news medium of the status of the Punch Newspapers remained an indelible mark in the history and development of journalism in Nigeria.

“Aboderin was widely known for his philanthropy and sports enthusiasm.

“He played key role in the development of sports in Nigeria including as founder and chairman of the Dolphins Female Basketball Foundation as well as the former chairman of the Lagos, State Basketball Association.”

Mr. Gbadebowale Wayne  Aboderin, died early today after a heart surgery at the First Cardiology Consultants, Ikoyi, Lagos. He was 60 years old.

He attended the Government College, Ibadan and trained as a pilot in the United States.

He was also Chairman Punch Commercial Printing Limited and Lukahed Properties Limited.

He was a one-time vice-president of the Nigerian Basketball Supporters Club.

He is survived by his wife, Titilayo, and children.

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