An Emeritus Professor of Neuropathology at Oxford University, Mrs.Margaret Esiri, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, inaugurated the Frederick Foundation and Medical Student Exchange Award at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI) and University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan in memory of her late husband, Dr. Prince Frederick Esiri, a Nigerian medical graduate of Oxford University who succumbed to stroke in 2018.
The inauguration ceremony of the Foundation and Award, held at the Paul Hendrickse Lecture Theatre and chaired by the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Professor K. O. Adebowale, was part of a programme initiated by Professor Esiri, the Foundation's trustees, patrons, principal facilitators and programme mangers to transform the landscape of stroke care across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The inauguration was well attended by the management teams of CoMUI and UCH, teaching and non-teaching staff, students, and dignitaries from Oyo State and across the country. Among them were Professor K. O. Adebowale, Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan; Professor T. O. Ogundiran, Provost CoMUI who was ably represented by Professor T. A. Lawal, Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Professor J. A. Otegbayo, Chief Medical Director, UCH; Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetumobi, Oyo State Commissioner for Health represented by Dr. O. T. Aremu; Professor G. Ogbole and Professor R. Akinyemi, Principal Facilitators of Frederick Foundation, Nigeria.
The Lead Facilitator, Professor G. Ogbole, in his address, officially welcomed all dignitaries to the event. According to him, he met Emeritus Professor Margaret Esiri while seeking additional knowledge on radiology, including neuroimaging and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), in the United Kingdom. He noted that the relationship that developed from that encounter birthed what was being inaugurated with a great vision for advancing stroke care in Nigeria. He further disclosed that a former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has accepted the offer to serve as one of the patrons of the Foundation.
In his speech, the chairman of the occasion, Professor K. O. Adebowale, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Emeritus Professor Esiri for her personal commitment to the Frederick Foundation Initiative, which has the potential to improve stroke care through her vision of "Strengthening Stroke Care Through Strategic Partnership" which was the theme of the inauguration ceremony. He noted that the vision resonates deeply with the core mission of the University of Ibadan. Professor Adebowale disclosed that the University of Oxford–University of Ibadan Medical Student Exchange Programme in Clinical Neuroscience has been approved by both medical schools of both institutions describing the development as a milestone in UI's internationalisation agenda. According to him, choosing College of Medicine, University of Ibadan as the starting point.
for the laudable initiative is a testament to UI's standing as the premier institution for medical education and research in Africa.
Professor Adebowale also commended the facilitators, including Professor Ogbole and Professor Akinyemi, among others, for their relentless and selfless service towards bringing the initiative to fruition. He pledged UI's support for the Acute Stroke Unit at UCH, stressing its commitment to ensuring that the partnership delivers actionable quality improvement that could be scaled across resource-limited settings. "We will leverage our expertise to help the Foundation achieve its mission,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), Professor Ogundiran, Professor Lawal commended Emeritus Professor Esiri for bringing the Frederick Foundation, a UK-registered charity established in December 2023, to Ibadan as a durable academic bridge between the University of badan and Oxford University.
He said her support reflects the University's conviction that meaningful international partnerships must go beyond ceremonial engagement to create opportunities for academic growth, mentorship, mobility and institutional development. He acknowledged the strong support of UI Vice-Chancellor and appreciated all principal facilitators and programme managers for their selfless service to the initiative.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Professor Otegbayo, thanked the founder of the Frederick Foundation for her contribution to capacity building in stroke care management aimed at reducing the burden of stroke in Nigeria. He described the don as a kind-hearted and brilliant scholar and appreciated her hospitality to the team of CoMUI medical professionals who visited Oxford University in 2025 to observe how acute stroke units operate in the United Kingdom. He noted that the visit was the first phase of the initiative the outcome of which has significantly improved the management of stroke patients by medical professionals.
The Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, on behalf of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State also thanked Emeritus Professor Margaret Esiri and her team. She commended the visionary initiative, noting that people do not have to die unnecessarily because stroke, though a leading cause of death, is preventable.
In his presentation titled "An Overview of the IBOX Partnership and UCH Acute Stroke Unit," Professor Akinyemi emphasised that the project responds to a devastating and urgent health crisis. Nigeria, with a population of more than 237 million people, records an estimated 68,000 new stroke cases each year. In Ibadan, a city of more than three million people, stroke patients often face delays of hours to days before specialist assessment and have limited access to timely CT imaging, little or no thrombolysis within the critical 4.5-hour treatment window, and hospital mortality rates that can exceed 40%, compared with around 8-12% in countries with well-organised stroke care systems.
Professor Akinyemi, who shares a birthday with the late Dr. Frederick Esiri, pledged his continuous support for the Foundation through his service. He reiterated that infrastructure, equipment, in-ward rehabilitation and research are germane and are being addressed by the Foundation. "Our vision is for UCH to have a comprehensive stroke unit for the benefit of all," he said.
Delivering her keynote address, the Chairperson of the Frederick Foundation, Emeritus Professor Esiri, explained that her late husband ran a health clinic in Taraba State, Nigeria, for over 20 years, and that his unwavering passion for improving healthcare in his homeland inspired the Foundation.
According to her, in 2018, her husband suffered a stroke while taking a nap in Gembu. She was in Oxford at the time but with the help of Mark, his son and her late husband's former classmate in Nigeria, he was brought to the United Kingdom by air ambulance. He underwent rehabilitation and lived for three months before dying suddenly of a heart attack.
She said the Foundation recognises the need to upscale African-based stroke care personnel, including stroke neurologists, stroke nurse specialists, neuroradiologists, emergency room physicians and stroke rehabilitation experts, and to assist indigent stroke patients. She noted that UI and Oxford University are centres of excellence for research on stroke care and prevention. “The travel exchange is scheduled to take place before the end of the year and is fully sponsored by the Frederick Foundation through the generous donations of our supporters,” she said.
Emeritus Professor Esiri acknowledged and appreciated all collaborators for their partnership over the years, including the University of Ibadan and its College of Medicine (CoMUI); University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan; African Stroke Organisation (ASO); Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOX); Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), University of Oxford; Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; St. Hugh’s College, University of Oxford; and the Smart Africa Network (SMARTA).
A major highlight of the event was the fundraising drive for the Frederick Foundation, anchored by Professor G. Ogbole. He disclosed that fundraising for the Foundation began in the United Kingdom two years ago with the total project cost estimated at 10 million Euros. Following the screening of a heart-touching documentary on the Foundation's work with indigent stroke patients, Professor Ogbole made a passionate appeal to Nigerians to arise and support the programme in cash and kind.
Thereafter, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and the representative of the Provost, CoMUI, joined Emeritus Professor Esiri to present Medical Student Exchange award to Dimeji Olawuyi and Ayomide Oyekan (Ibadan representatives) and Maria Eriksson and Elamin Ibrahim (Oxford representatives).
The four awardees were selected following a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CoMUI and the University of Oxford. A call for applications for the first cohort was announced at both institutions, attracting over 90 entries. After rigorous assessments were conducted in both institutions, four students- two from each institution - were selected. During the Exchange Programme, the students will be exposed to practical experiences in the care of stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The event also featured a presentation by the representative of a team tagged Super 7 - recipients of the first phase of the Exchange Award of Frederick Foundation Initiative - delivered by Dr. O. Agbomeji. Goodwill messages were also delivered by the representative of the African Stroke Organisation (ASO) and Principal Investigator of the largest African stroke study (SIREN), Professor M. O. Owolabi; the representative of the Esiri family, Mr. Mark Esiri (son); and the representative of the Ibadan Neuro Group, Professor A. Adeolu, Chairman of the Neuroscience Institute, among others.
In recognition of her unwavering commitment and selfless service to humanity, Professor Lawal, on behalf of the CoMUI management and staff, presented a gift to Emeritus Professor Esiri and her granddaughter. The event was anchored by Dr. Tomiwa Makanjuola and Dr. Margaret Allen-Taylor.