Ex-lawmaker commends Yoruba nurses in US for supporting primary healthcare in Nigeria

Former federal lawmaker and Yoruba leader, Hon. Olawale Oshun, has commended the Yoruba Nurses of North America (YORNNA) for their consistent medical missions and financial support to Nigeria’s healthcare system. He described the group as a model of diaspora impact and cultural preservation.

Speaking on Sunday at the YORNNA 2025 Convention held in Atlanta, Georgia, Oshun delivered his keynote address via Zoom, praising the association’s role in promoting primary healthcare and self-care within Yoruba cultural values.

He said their work is helping to close gaps in Nigeria’s underfunded public health sector.

“The missions of YORNNA are direct answers to the Yoruba prayer that a sojourner’s harvest should return home,” Oshun said.

“Through free medical outreaches, skills transfer and remittances, these nurses embody the spirit of omoluabi and afenifere, care, collaboration and sacrifice.”

Oshun pointed out that diaspora remittances, which reached $20.93bn in 2024, are vital to Nigeria’s economy, and YORNNA plays a strong role by combining financial support with free healthcare in underserved Yoruba communities.

Recalling his participation in a 2024 medical mission to Lagos, he said hundreds of residents in areas such as Obalende and Somolu received free diagnostics, medicines, and consultations, describing them as “local medical tourists.”

He, however, expressed concern that of Nigeria’s more than 30,000 primary health centres, only about 20–25 per cent are fully functional. “YORNNA’s outreach is filling the vacuum left by poorly maintained public facilities,” he said.

Oshun urged Nigerian leaders to rethink their response to the “japa” trend, arguing that migration should be turned into a strategic advantage.

“Should Nigeria continue to condemn the exodus of specialists without creating a favourable environment for them? Why not turn this migration into a deliberate supply chain through investments in skilled education to earn foreign exchange?” he asked.

He noted that without earlier waves of skilled migration, groups like YORNNA may not have emerged to drive such critical healthcare missions.

Looking ahead, he highlighted YORNNA’s 2025 plans for Ogun State, which include partnerships with local leaders and health institutions to expand primary care, integrate cultural health beliefs with modern self-care, and strengthen the group’s profile as a trusted health advocate.

Commending their commitment, Oshun concluded: “When the Yoruba speak of omoluabi, they mean wishing for others what you wish for yourself. YORNNA nurses exemplify this ethos through their sacrifices and commitment to uplifting our people.”

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