By Enyeribe Ejiogu
Nigerian medical practitioner and educator, Dr. Onyebuchi Christian Ifediora, who is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Griffiths University, Queensland, Australia, is hard at work, fully focused on creating a seismic shift in the way Nigerian millennials and the GenZ generation medical students are being trained to become future doctors.
Quietly, his determined push, through OCI Foundation International, to make medical students develop passion for solid research, and gain sound academic writing skills in line with global best practices, to enable them participate in local and international research-based academic competitions, has taken strong roots. It has gained deep acceptance and endorsement by the leadership of universities, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA).
“Through my association with NIMSA, I see an opportunity to inspire the younger generation to imbibe the skills, the qualities that kind of underlie my success in life today. And that’s about literary prowess and research skills. So these two things are embodied in the Literary Award for Medical Students (LAMS), which we’ve now changed to Literary and Research Award for Medical Students (LARAMS). The project embodies what I believe can be a game changer in our training of medical students so that they come into the medical world ready to write, ready to read, ready to research. This is the key to having a medical career that will continually contribute to human development and growth,” Ifediora says with a look on his face that signposts the way to excellence in the medical world.
His intentions sound like music in the ears of 18-year-old Chiemeziem Ibezim, a 100-Level Medicine and Surgery student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who has already locked down a series of As in his first semester and is working hard to earn a very good result in the second semester, to guarantee himself a good place on the list of prelim students that will continue to 200-Level of the programme.
Interestingly, on June 5, 2025 the Foundation took steps to formally codify its successful collaboration with NiMSA by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the student body affiliated to the Nigerian Medical Association, at a simple, quiet ceremony witnessed by the Secretary General of the NMA, Dr Benjamin Egbo, and held at the NMA headquarters in Abuja.
The MOU is the legal framework for organizing the Literary Award for Medical Students (LAMS), which is described on the website of the Foundation as a “prestigious essay competition designed to identify, inspire, and reward medical students who showcase literary dexterity.” OCI is a non-profit organization focused on breaking down barriers to excellence among Nigerians through education, health, and empowerment activities.
Eligibility to participate is open to all medical students in Nigeria with valid ID cards from recognized medical schools. To participate, students submit written essays on selected topics, which are then anonymized, judged, and scored. The top three winners get cash gifts while seven additional contestants receive consolation prizes. The competition holds at national and regional levels while there are plans to expand to the United Kingdom and Australia in 2025.
The main objectives are to encourage literary and research skills among medical students, provide a platform for students to showcase their writing abilities, and foster excellence in medical practice and research. At the MOU signing ceremony, NiMSA was represented by a five-person delegation led by its President, Mr. Delhi Ahmadu Sardauna of the Ahmadu Bello University School of Medicine, Zaria, Nigeria. The Director of LAMS and the Gynocular Cancer Project of the OCI Foundation, Dr Fatima Inusa Anga, who led the organisation’s four-person team, comprising members of the OCI Abuja Advocacy Team, namely, Mrs Felicia Dagu. Mr Luter Ikyobo and Dr Etomike Obianyo.
In addition to formalizing the pre-existing relations with NIMSA, Sunday Sun learnt that Foundation is undergoing some changes in Australia, after it joined the ACFID, which is Australian Committee for International Funds Development, a big organization that is directly under the oversight of the Australian government. This is a significant milestone for the Foundation. “It’s a big thing to even get recognized in that to even get considered means you’re doing something really big at an international level. So among the requirements, we’ve had to draft up to nearly 40 policies in the last two, three months. Among the requirements is that we have a signed MOU with every organization we work with. So it came timely when that change is happening here in Australia. Going forward, we will have an MOU with every organization we will be working with in Nigeria and in Australia.”
The collaboration between OCI and NIMSA commenced in 2020, and has been held at both zonal and national levels. This year’s edition will kick off on July 1, 2025. It will mark the 5th edition of LAMS at the national level in Nigeria and the 6th edition at the Southeast Zonal level, where it first started before being extended to the national level.
It is worthy of note that Dr Ifediora, who is the President of OCI Foundation, is a person who long ago recognized the power of education to open doors and take a person far in life. He eagerly loves to learn and continues to add to his knowledge base. Despite that his previous advanced professional qualifications in Medicine had enabled him reach the level of Associate Professor and was firmly on the road to becoming a full professor on account of his prodigious academic works and publications, he still saw the need to enroll for a doctorate degree programme, to fill a knowledge gap. In December 2024, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Queensland, Australia.
In a WhatsApp chat with Sunday Sun, he explained why he embarked on the arduous task of acquiring the doctorate degree that demanded enormous discipline, dedication, focus and commitment to purpose in addition to running an active family medicine practice, teaching, overseeing the foundation and still attending to the family.
He said: “In the doctorate degree, obviously, you know, nobody stops learning. We never stop learning from cradle to the grave. So that’s a principle that I know. But the decision to do the doctorate is more or less a requirement of my progression to professorship. So it’s part of what I needed to do. But having said that, there are aspects of the OCI Foundation’s projects that we needed to evaluate. Part my training since leaving Nigeria is to always evaluate any project I undertake. And that applies strongly to what the OCI Foundation is doing.
“A number of our projects already have been evaluated and published. The PhD came at the right time because I needed to evaluate other aspects of the Foundation’s projects. So, it suited into my professional work requirement with the medical school and also the drive to make sure we optimise our activities within the OCI Foundation by evaluating and publishing on our projects. That was why it was first to learn because you don’t stop learning as an academic. Secondly, to evaluate the OCI Foundation’s project. And thirdly, as a requirement of my professional career with the University here in Australia.”
Ifediora, looking back, smiles warmly at what he refers to as “the good experience” that came with the quest for the doctorate, which naturally came with challenges. It took a bit of deploying ‘diplomacy’ at the home front to win over and assure the support of his pillars at home.
“The experience is good. Obviously, the main challenge was from convincing my family to support me in the study. As an individual, even when I’m not doing formal academic work, I’m always into academics. I’m always either researching or reading up things or doing things. It’s become a passion and kind of an integral part of my existence. So it wasn’t that big a challenge apart from the fact that I had to juggle it with work, family commitments, engagements like the foundation and other things.
“But it wasn’t such a big deal like dusting your academic brain to work because the academic brain has always been engaged even though it’s not always on the formal academic settings. Yeah, good challenge, good experience, but nothing really unusual apart from having to juggle it with other activities,” he recalled with a shrug of the shoulders.
On the focus of the doctoral study, particularly how it would add to the body of knowledge and offer practical benefits to society, Ifediora is emphatic about the academic significance and value of the work done: “I am a family physician. Ordinarily my project should be aligned with that, but the project is a hybrid that kind of intersects between education and health. Our activities at OCI Foundation focus on the tripod of education, health, and public empowerment or public welfare.
“So, my project is centred on how to optimise scholarship schemes in developing countries, and leverage that towards optimising test scores. Essentially, it is centred on how to benefit health and achieve better health outcomes. And regarding the practicalities, we did very beautiful findings. In terms of providing scholarships across Africa and the developing world, the study ultimately tried to prove that with the funds available, the same amount of funds can be used in such a way that you can inspire a larger population of people towards getting higher academic test scores without having to add extra funds, and still achieve better outcomes.
“This was a three-to-four years study with very solid outcomes. We proved that this actually works and also good for their health. We also found that through a qualitative component; it’s a mixed methods research paper. So the quantitative showed direct empirical evidence that test scores increased, but the qualitative component provided insight that it was linked to the strategy we have in place within the OCI Foundation.”
As a student in Nigeria, Ifedirora was a member of NIMSA, where he played a big role a NIMSA official some decades ago, and held offices at the higher level at the Federation of African Medical Standards Association. Talking about what underpins the relationship of the Foundation with NIMSA, he says: “My passion is basically driven by what I believe are the things that are a few secrets to my success in life so far: strong belief in writing, studying and never giving up. “Remember what I said before – learning starts from cradle to the grave. Through my association with NIMSA, I see an opportunity to inspire the younger generation to imbibe the skills, the qualities that kind of underlie my success in life today. And that’s about literary prowess and research skills. So these two things are embodied in the Literary Award for Medical Students (LAMS), which we’ve now changed to Literary and Research Award for Medical Students (LARAMS). The project embodies what I believe can be a game changer in our training of medical students so that they come into the medical world ready to write, ready to read, ready to research. This is the key to having a medical career that will continually contribute to human development and growth. And this what OCI Foundation stands for in the areas of education, health, and public/social welfare.”
Friends and associates who have had course to interact with Dr Ifediora through his internet and social media platforms and seen pictures or videos posted by him, know about the only female person (pretty, sweet smiling lady) referred to as “Nwunye OCI.” As would be expected, she is the personification of the aphorism that behind every successful man is a woman. Mrs Nkem Eucharia Ifediora is the wife of Dr. Ifediora and is a Registered Nurse at the Gold Coast University Hospital and holds various university degrees, including a Bachelor of Nursing Degree from Griffith University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Liverpool John Moore University. She is the Vice President of OCI Foundation and a member of the OCI Foundation’s Board of Trustees and known for advocating unity and oneness in marriage, emphasizing its importance for a successful relationship.
So, when Ifediora talks about how he was able to strike a balance between the doctoral study on the one hand and running his medical practice, guiding OCI Foundation and still giving adequate attention to family on the other, you begin to understand the import of God’s grace for good marital relationship which enabled him succeed in various endeavours through the years as the bible says (Proverbs 18:22): “He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favour from God.”
Regarding his wife and family and how he was able to achieve life-work balance, Ifediora reveals a hidden joy: “I have asked myself this question all the time and I have to admit I’m not sure I have all the answers. But thanks to my wife, I have a very supportive wife and children who understood that this was what Daddy wanted to do. So Big Thanks go to them because they created the environment that was conducive and didn’t stress me out or add to the stress. They understood the times when I was not available, but they also understood that it was all for the good of humanity and for the family. God’s grace was probably a key factor, keeping me healthy and focused throughout. When you consider the effort that goes into running the medical practice, OCI Foundation and the family, it all comes down to one thing: we’re blessed with capable hands across the board, whether on the medical side of things, within the OCI Foundation and within the family. I’m married to a very lovely, talented, super supportive wife.”