Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh: Updates

Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh….
Tribute to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh:
Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, a consultant physician, First Consultants Medical Centre, a Lagos-based hospital,  died  of Ebola disease Tuesday, August 19. Despite denials, she had    summoned courage to carry out blood analysis  that revealed the virus from Patrick Sawyer who imported the Ebola virus into Nigeria from Liberia. All  tributes  to her for publication should be addressed to: tribute@thisdaylive.com.






TRIBUTE IN HONOUR OF DR. AMEYO STELLA ADADEVOH:
BY MEDICAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (MWAN) 
MWAN joins the global community to commiserate with all who have lost family members and friends to the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak.   The toll on the healthcare workers in the affected countries has been quite high with Nigeria recently not being spared. MWAN has been hit with the death of one of our own, Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, a brilliant Consultant Endocrinologist, who died in active service to Nigeria, and in doing so greatly spared the nation from the widespread rampage that our sister West African countries are suffering from in this EVD outbreak.
The late Dr. Adadevoh was the first child of the late world renowned Pathologist. Prof. Kwakwu Adadevoh, who was also a past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She is also the niece of the owners of Clina Lancet Laboratory and the Great-Granddaughter of our hero past, Sir Herbert Macaulay. On her own merit, Dr. Adadevoh was a Consultant Endocrinologist per excellence, a quiet and diligent Clinician, beautiful lady and loving mother to one son.
We and all who now mourn the passing on of Dr. Ameyo should be comforted that she died a hero. She was the Doctor who entertained a high index of suspicion that Patient Zero was suffering from EVD and thus refused to let him leave the First Consultant Hospital in Obalende, Lagos, when he and others pressured her for his discharge against medical advice. She promptly reported the case to the relevant Public Health authorities at State and Federal levels and thus saved many lives by doing this. Though her death is so heartbreaking, we join her family and well-wishers to pray that her gentle soul rests in peace now.
We also call on the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Federal Government and her State of origin to immortalise the contribution of this Amazon to the public health protection of our country.
“…the labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain!”……
Dr. Valerie Obot, National President






Ode to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By  Joe Okungbowa
 Early this April, Lagos State Health Ministry and Commissioner, Dr. Jide Idris, appealed to all health practitioners to watch out for patients presenting symptoms of Ebola so that Nigeria would be delivered from the endemic disease already spreading through in Guinea.

 The burly patient that she admitted on Sunday, July 20 had just flown in from nearby Monrovia, having cleared Airport screening for hidden weapons, hazardous materials, and illegal substances, with the might of ECOWAS bureaucracy beside him, a passport of the United States of America with him, and powerful Government connections behind him.

 What Airport security was ill-equipped to detect, however, was an even deadlier national threat – the virulent etiological agent for Ebola! Hence, in his medical history, he conveniently ignored his recent contact with a case of Ebola, visits to any person infected with the virus in a hospital, or participation in a funeral of a person who died of the disease. All three criteria, it turns out, precisely described Mr. Patrick Sawyer’s status vis-a-vis the late sister, Princess, whom he lost to Ebola, on 8th July.

 In Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, an epidemic found its match that effectively stopped its incurable match of death. Obligations to the Hippocratic Oath of her noble profession compelled the Senior Consultant Physician, First Consultant Medical Center, to do no harm but only good. Her august patient had just landed from endemic Liberia with distinctive symptoms; therefore, she summoned uncommon courage, ignored his denials, queried Ebola nonetheless, arranged for blood analysis, and skilfully turned his hospitalization into quarantine! By doing this, she stopped an Epidemic and saved a nation from a deadly virus.

 As soon as his Test from LUTH came back presumptive positive, she promptly alerted Federal and Lagos State Health Ministries. In so doing, she identified the index Ebola patient on Nigerian soil, stopped nationwide spread of the virus, and saved a nation from an epidemic!

 While she gave him medical care for his disease, he gave her medical disease for her care! But she patiently absorbed the impact of the infection that she contracted unwittingly without spreading it. In so doing, she saved her nation and averted a looming Epidemic that was not!

 A private Clinic that relies on Corporate retainership and patronage of the affluent to get by, should not mess around with a VIP patient; but that, in a nutshell, is all she did by defying the petulance of a Liberian ECOWAS delegation that pressured her to discharge Mr. Sawyer to attend the “8th Joint Retreat of ECOWAS Institutions, Permanent Representatives and National Units”. By denying him medical clearance to proceed to Calabar, she saved Nigeria from an imminent Epidemic….

…Yes, with her very life, she made a supreme sacrifice but saved a nation from ominous Ebola epidemic!
 If ever a case or nominee for posthumous National honour is needed, CASE CLOSED…!!!
Much Respect, many Thanks, and GOD bless the memory of Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh!!
(DR. JOE OKUNGBOWA IS TENURED PROFESSOR IN FLORIDA)








Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By: Professor Clara Ikekeonwu
Woman of Substance, Consultant par excellence!
 You were one of the relatively few women to break the glass ceiling and walk majestically in a specialist terrain which for long in the African continent appeared to be the exclusive domain of the menfolk. You arrived there as a great achiever attracting the respect and love of even your male colleagues and all.

 Your love for your country and indeed humanity made you risk your life to fulfill the Hippocratic oath in the unfortunate ebola virus disease saga. Yes you  eventually paid the price, but we will always remain grateful to God for a life like yours. Great life, suffused with love for humanity. Yes, we know how much resources and efforts go into the training of a doctor more so a consultant  in medicine! These are not lost  though we would have loved to have you continue to render your impeccable services to humanity but God knows best. Even within the relatively short span of life you made a huge mark. You will remain a pride to humanity in general and womanhood in particular. Sleep on and take your rest in peace. We love you but God loves you more.
  Professor Clara Ikekeonwu :President, Educational Foundation for African Women(EFAW)




 Salute to the heroic ''elephant'':Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Femi Onasanya
Yes,you fought a good fight,a rare one for that matter in a clime filled with greed and self-centeredness.
 You were one in a million,a woman from the lineage of the then Moremi,in the old Yorubaland.
Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh,you saved your country from the deadly Ebola epidemic that could wipe out millions of people within a short period and chose to give your life;your rich curriculum vitae and medical pedigree in substitution.
A Senior Medical Consultant is gone.
 A mother has finished her race!
 A great Nigerian is no more.
 Even though you ain't immortalized by the government in recognition of your bravery
 You will forever live on in the hearts of millions of Nigerians
 And our unborn children would also celebrate you.
Femi Onasanya wrote from Abeokuta,Ogun State via femlandcommunication@yahoo.com (08036170135)




Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Effiong David
My heartfelt condolence to the family of late Dr Stella Adadevoh...she remains a woman of great courage, a true amazon...who has given we young Nigerians hope for the future...that the right things can be done at the right time...may your gentle soul be in perfect peace and eternal happiness...also, I pray that God gives your family the fortitude to bear the loss..and may his grace always be with them...Adieu...Adieu to a wonderful human being!!!
Attoe, Effiong David Benin




Tribute to a Rare Gem
By Njide Ndili
When I heard that Patrick Sawyer, the ebola carrying patient was taken to 1st Consultants, I was not surprised.  He was taken there for a reason, good quality care was guaranteed! For this reputation, you paid a price Ameyo… I had only know you intimately for about 6 months and within that time, I knew that you were a gem, an honorable woman, a doctor different from the rest.  You keep your side of the deal always.
We have been strategizing and collaboring on a confidential project to make 1st Consultants more accessible to more patients of all income levels and class..… we spent months discussing, with so many meetings and late night calls.  Even up to the point when the hospital was shut down by Ministry of Health following the death of Patrick Sawyer, we spoke and we were planning a meeting when I stopped hearing from you.   Never in my wildest dream did I realize you were the very Doctor who treated Sawyer…. My calls to you went unanswered until i sent you text asking if you were okay?  Your response to me was an email with the press release detailing the events with the ebola victim and how you struggled to keep him from leaving the hospital and spreading the disease.
Your action was selfless and only God can reward you for the sacrifice you made for us Nigerians….  I am still in shock following the news of your death yesterday…. We are all on earth for a reason and when our time comes and our mission is done, we depart.  You have accomplished your mission Ameyo and gone on to a better place.  My heart goes out to your family for they have lost a precious woman, wife and mother.  I only wish I had known you earlier and longer but I am sure we will meet again in another life.
Mrs Njide Ndili : Healthcare Consultant LionstoneHealthcare Partners




Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Ikenna George Ikenna
part from the Savior, who is Christ Jesus,
 There are little saviors that live among us,
 Saving us from bacteria, fungi, and virus;
 Some of them lay down their lives
 To make sure that humanity survives;
 Some are women, some are wives;
 Some know the risks they take,
 That, sometimes, life is at stake;
 Some take the plunge all the same,
 And earn themselves eternal fame;
 Greater love has no one than to die
 In answering a heart’s call and a neighbor’s cry;
 There is no greater love than that this living soul
 Saved her country from Ebola’s sheol;
 Saved her people from Patrick Sawyer Disease;
 Saved you and me from that deadly breeze;
 Our highest honors and praises are her due;
 Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, adieu;
 Adieu, Great Soul; adieu.
~Ikenna George Ikenna; Essayist, Poet, Blogger, & Publisher




Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Samuel Chuku
I heard you had been discharged, and then  this morning as I looked through my phone to catch up on the world, I read you are gone. I just wish I could choose which to believe.

 I never met you but I know you have affected my life tremendously. If Mr Sawyer had passed through your scrutiny as he did airport security with diplomatic apparachik, I probably would have been at risk. Afterall, I commute by public transport most of the time and like most Nigerians, I mingle in the crowd in a bid to make ends meet.

 And so I thank you Doctor. I and millions of other Nigerians will never forget you, your memory will continue to resonate just like that of your forebears. Thank you for insisting on best practice when others would have buckled under pressure. I know that you feel no more pain where you are  and that a host of angels wait to take you to rest. You will never be forgotten, even in a country like ours. Fare thee well.
Samuel chuku from Port-harcourt, Rivers State






Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Lai Omotola
The story of Dr. Stella Adadevoh should be a classic case study in Medical schools around the world,  both Nollyhood and Hollyhood have one of the most inspiring movie of all time at their door steps.
Oh death! who would have expected you on this path. We as Nigerians should dedicate today as a memorial, words can not explain the sacrifice this God fearing and exceptional woman have made. I doubt if she's a Nigerian nevertheless she is.
She will stand exceptional in the canals of history as an extra ordinary Nigerian even if the Government will not honour her.
Engr. Lai Omoto




Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Oti Obilor
You were an embodiment of courage, kindness and love
 You gave your all that others may be spared the agony
 You paid the ultimate price because you would not abandon your patient even in the face of danger
 Your Christlike nature overwhelms us
 Your sacrifice will not be in vain
 Fare thee well our hero
 Goodnight our warrior
 Rest in peace our angel.
 #MuchRespect
Oti Obilor :Director, Echo for Child Help Organisation.


Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Okoro Udensi Lilian.
Words can't describe the shock I experienced when I read the news online of your death!! At first,I debunked it off as a rumour but as the news began to gather authenticity from key health players,I had to believe and accept it as true.
 I left fcmc over a year ago but the 2years I worked there was a great experience for me because I learnt a lot from your wealth of knowledge,you were truly a consultant par excellence. Your diagnosis were almost always 100% accurate,I'm not surprised it was you that nailed this ebola down and in good time too! We thank God for your competence. Your death is a huge sacrifice to save many millions of Nigerians,you practised your professional calling to its core essence-sacrificial service to humanity!!
 You will never be forgotten Ma! Your legacy is permanently imprinted upon the sands of time...never to fade,adieu great woman,we respect you!!
Tribute by Okoro Udensi Lilian.




Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Paul Olaleye
Farewell to an Eminent Endocrinologist, Passionate Physician, our own Mother Theresa!
 We salute you and praise your heroic professionalism.
 Take a well deserved seat amongst the company of Angels and Saints in heaven.
 We will continue to pray for your family, friends and colleagues; to have the courage they need at this time.
 But when the dust of Ebola finally settles, we hope that the authorities in Liberia and Nigeria will for ever be
 grateful and immortalize your contributions with a medical institution in Monrovia and Lagos.
 Adieu Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh.
Paul Olaleye: Leading Change Advocate
+ 44 (0) 750 60 200 25
+234 (0) 802 359 7222




Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By  Femi Sowoolu.
Too far away
 In another space we stay
 Imagined reality
 Warped realism
 A dangerous game we play
 Lonesome lives of self deceit
 Pretend self belief
 Easy to forget
 From whence we came
 We live the movie
 ...A tragi-comedy
 Of sorts...
 Toy soldiers
 Tin men
 Cartoon characters
 With puny hearts
 Evil minds
 Soiled hands
 Tainted souls
 And smelly clothes...!
 Our angels have fled
 Or just die in our hands
 Devils in their stead
 ...But, only the dead
 Bury the dead...
 She saves
 But she dies
 Healing hands
 Heal no more
 A diadem of silky soft petals
 For our heroine
 Roses, and Peonies
 Violets, and Tulips
 Fresh fragrances for Lady Ameyo
 Diva exemplar
 For she glows
 From enchanting lights above
 From the bosom of God
 A new saint, behold.
 Adieu.
~ Femi Sowoolu.


A Woman of Substance is gone
By Maxwell Nakanda
My dear Doctor, truly you did your best to avoid the  wide spread of  Ebola virus in our country not minding the pressure to bury the ethics of the job  as at that material time. I really understand the pains your family members and loved ones are passing through but the fact remains that you have proved a point for your generation and the generation to come that being fair at work is key and each time i look at your picture, i  see the spirit of a true leader and mother of our time. May God Almighty grant you eternal rest and I equally wish your husband, children and other well wishers the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss..................Adieu Our Doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Maxwell Nakanda




Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh: MORE THAN A MAN
By Ikenna George Ikenna
 Nationalism runs in the blood. You know Herbert Macaulay, Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, the man whose face is imprinted on the one naira coin? He was the great-grandfather of Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, the woman medical consultant who led the medical team that treated that Liberian merchant of death, Patrick Death Sawyer. She STOPPED Sawyer from leaving the hospital when she confirmed that he was carrying the Ebola virus. Even when intense pressure was put on her to allow the Liberian to proceed with his devilish trip to Calabar for a useless summit, Dr Stella Adadevoh refused to discharge him, knowing the risks he posed to the Nigerian society.
Some doctors would have quickly discharged him as soon as he was confirmed to be Ebola positive, for their own safety and for the safety of their hospital staff. Some would have released him if the pressure became unbearable. Some wouldn’t have even bothered to test for Ebola, while others would have beencontented with treating malaria, after which they would unleash that death merchant on the Nigerian people. But this woman, this courageous and selfless woman, RESISTED all pressure to discharge Sawyer and decided not only to test and treat, but also to quarantine him and prevent further spread of the virus. Had Dr Stella Adadevoh discharged Patrick Sawyer, which she could have done so easily for her own safety, Ebola could have been ravaging Nigeria by now. But she said NO. She assumed the responsibility to protect you and me from Patrick Sawyer and his deadly disease. She assumed the responsibility to protect her nation. She put the life of her compatriots ahead of her own. Aware of the risks involved in treating an Ebola patient, she did not run. She refused to run and rather preferred to shed her own nationalist blood for the sake and survival of you and me. She is my HERO, our HERO. I learnt that this great woman became a medical doctor at 25.
And that she always “had the Hippocratic Oath hung in front of her on the left wall in her consulting room, just beside her certificate.” I have immortalized her in my heart. But we can do more. A federal university teaching hospital should be named after her. Or better, her face, like her great-grandfather’s, should be imprinted on the Nigerian currency. At least, let her be the first Nigerian woman to adorn our currency with her beautiful face. She deserves more. Adieu, Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh. Thank You.
~Ikenna George Ikenna :Essayist, Poet, Blogger, & Publisher n


Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Kola Gbadamosi
Dr Stella Shade Adadevoh, I had known you for 21yrs and within that period,I knew that you were a gem,an honourable woman,a sister,a friend,and a doctor different from the rest.You kept your side of the deal always just the way you made sure I stopped smoking………
Had Dr Stella Shade Adadevoh discharged Patrick Sawyer, which she could have done so easily for her own safety, Ebola could have been ravaging Nigeria by now;but she said NO.She assumed the responsibility to protect you and i from Patrick Sawyer and his deadly disease.
 She took on the responsibility to protect her Nation,put the life of her compatriots ahead of her own..Aware of the risks involved in treating an Ebola patient,she did not run. She refused to run and rather preferred to shed her own nationalist blood for the sake and survival of all Nigerians.

 A saviour indeed you were. You remain my HERO, an embodiment of courage, kindness and love,a true Amazon,a RARE GEM. You are my dear friend.  You gave your all so that others may be spared the agony. You paid the ultimate price because you would not abandon your patient even in the face of danger.

 Your Christ like nature overwhelms us .no greater love than this. With your very life, you made a supreme sacrifice but saved a nation from the ominous Ebola epidemic!  Your sacrifice will not be in vain, your action was selfless and only God can reward you for the sacrifice you made for us Nigerians….  I am still in deep shock following the news of your death....
 Fare thee well our hero, SIS as I fondly called you.
 You will forever live on in the hearts of millions of Nigerians
 Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, adieu;
 Adieu, Great Soul; adieu.
 --Kola Gbadamosi


For Dr. Stella Adadevoh
By Emmanuel & Ifeoma Ezekwere
She was a caregiver
 And a compassionate one too
 She was a mentor
 Who loved to give and to care
 She has left us nestled in the grief of those she shielded
To you, noble one
 (and to the valiant throng)
 All we have to say is this:
 Thank you,
 Well done,
 And farewell.
Emmanuel & Ifeoma Ezekwere     


THE AMEYO THAT I ALSO KNEW.
By Abimbola Okulaja
Anselm Odinkalu spoke the mind of some of us in his tribute, but I will add mine.
My wife and I have been so devastated. Ameyo was our personal physician. It is very difficult to imagine that she is gone.
On Thu, 31 Jul 2014 07:23:10  I sent an email with the subject: Just Checking - "Good morning Doctor, We follow the Ebola events online from the USA, and in particular the joint statement issued by FCH. We are concerned and just checking to make sure that you are fine and that the situation is under control. Very Best, Abimbola & Busola"
In her usual manner, she responded almost immediately July 31, 2014 at 7:48:50 AM EDT "By God's Grace, we are all well at the hospital. Thanks for your prayers and support. God bless"
You were a thoroughly amazing woman, thoroughbred professional and you were the only female physician that I know who men lined up to consult. It is either Ameyo or nobody. You were indeed the life wire of First Consultant Hospital.  I personally had not consulted with any physician my entire adult life apart from you.
My entire family was silently praying for your miraculous recovery and when your passage was announced, I sobbed. It is remarkable  that you saved the lives of so many people but gave yours for the sake of the nation.
I fell ill at some point in 2011 but God used you to rescue me. You arranged for me to go to another location for tests and more tests to narrow down on the treatment. When I recovered, you asked me to call the cook and you instructed her on how to make sure that Ugu ( a vegetable delicacy ) was always part of my meal, and how it should be cooked. I never knew anything called Ugu prior to that time.
You were the personal physician to my parents-in-law and they indeed broke down on hearing the news about your passing. At some point I brought my mum to consult you before she passed on.

 You had grace, you had charm and was always doing so many things at the same time. Consulting, talking to one elderly relative peeping though the door to say hello or to get free consultation, or talking to someone on the cell phone to give free consultation. You were always surrounded by so many young doctors eager to learn at your feet.
You took my son at some point, at such short notice to shadow you. We had similar plans for him this holiday but this did not work out.
When my mum was terminally ill and had to be brought back to Nigeria, you showed interest and gave me a list of medical needs to bring along to take care of her, and when she passed on, you wrote a beautiful consolation email to me.
We need to keep in mind that in the midst of decadence and rot in the health care system in Nigeria, you stood out. When my family received the initial false news that you had been discharged, we all held hands together and were jumping in celebration. Moods changed when it turned out that the news was false and a few days later you bid us goodbye.
Judging by all the moving tributes, I have no doubt in my mind that you are resting at the foot of The Lord. May God grant you eternal rest, and comfort your son and all the loved ones that you left behind to mourn you.
Adieu our dear doctor AMEYO.
Abimbola Okulaja from NJ. USA
A Rare Gem
 I have not seen Ameyo in 30 years since med school. Her ageless beauty and her superior intelligence would remain ingrained in my memory for ever. I cannot forget how she would carry her Grey's Anatomy Text with such admiration and determination. My respect for Ameyo as one of the most likely to succeed in medical practice never wavered.

 The way and manner she conducted herself during this epidemic has further endeared her to the hearts of those of us that were fortunate to meet her at some point, and the countless Nigerians that never met her. Ameyo was a physician to the core.
 She saved the Nation. If only we could reverse this tragedy, we would pay any price to keep you with us. But then, God has other plans.
Ameyo, for all your sacrifice to save the Nation, your place in Nigeria history is assured.
Good night
Kunle, Atlanta, Georgia


DR. AMEYO STELLA ADADEVOH { A TRIBUTE TO THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST}
 By Wisdom & Rose Dafinone
If anyone can truly measure, Devotion, Passion, Compassion, and Commitment; then, DR. AMEYO ADADEVOH, was a colossus, an indisputable “Class Act” on her own!
Her infectious personality and disarming smile, compel and attract, albeit ineluctably, to a SOUL enamoured and imbued with an unquestionable professional excellence and ethos.
It was therefore, not surprising that her colleagues and friends drew national attention to her deteriorating condition and plight, which compelled the relevant authorities to raise the BAR of professional performance and expectations; ennobling our hearts with the Latin aphorism, “Quae nocent, docent- what pains us, teaches/trains us’!


DR. AMEYO STELLA ADADEVOH exemplified in her illustrious but brief life, that the “very best” is still possible and present in us, in spite of our collective doubts, and denigration.


Therefore, as a consummate professional and true Patriot, she epitomized the rare gift and Spirit of sacrifice and love, granting us an imperceptible glimpse of our humanity and God-endowed greatness as a People, which we must harness, as recompense, for such an irreparable loss!


ADIEU!!!!!
Rest in Perfect Peace!!!!
  Wisdom & Rose Dafinone


Tributes to Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
By Ifoghale Ejeta,
When someone we love dies, we never get to see them again but we will always feel them, because they live on in our hearts and our memories in our smiles and our tears and even though we can't touch them, we will never forget how they touched us.