A prominent medical doctor has made headlines by relocating from the US to Nigeria, citing compelling reasons for the move. Explore the motivations behind this significant decision.
Dr. Julius Oni, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery from Nigeria, has taken the audacious choice to go back home after 25 years in the US.
Dr. Oni explained his reasoning for this momentous action in a now-viral video, saying, “I reverse Japa from the U.S. to Nigeria 6 weeks ago.” In Nigerian slang, moving abroad in quest of better prospects is referred to as “Japa.”
“I moved to Nigeria from the United States. After 25 years of living in the United States, I took a leave of absence from my employment at Johns Hopkins, sold my house and my automobiles, packed my bags with my wonderful wife and our beautiful kids, and went,” Oni disclosed.
His ambition to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s healthcare system, especially in the area of orthopedic care, motivated him to leave his esteemed position at Johns Hopkins University.
Knowing that his choice might surprise some, Oni confronted his doubters head-on. “At this point, I’m aware that some of you could label me as insane or delusional, but I’m neither. He remarked, “I’m just a man with a lot of conviction.
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Oni is not only a doctor but also the CEO of the private equity firm XCITE Capital. He stated that he is returning to Nigeria because he firmly believes that Nigerians should have access to top-notch medical treatment.
He underlined, “I happen to think that Nigerian patients deserve great care too.”
Since then, Dr. Oni has established DOC Medical Nigeria, a center dedicated to provide top-notch musculoskeletal care. His mission is to make sure that Nigerians may access high-quality orthopaedic care without having to leave the country.
“I try to make care accessible so that people don’t have to travel far to get top-notch orthopaedic surgery,” Oni said.
He said the response so far has been positive. “It humbles me to say that people are traveling from near and far—from Ghana to the UK, to name just a few places,” Oni said. Otherwise, a large number of these patients would have gone overseas for medical attention.
Dr. Oni has provided a list of his accomplishments since DOC Medical Nigeria was founded on his Instagram account. He has already completed his first round of surgeries and run free health clinics in collaboration with other groups.
Additionally, he disclosed that he still consults with patients from outside of Nigeria, extending his efforts to improve access to healthcare both domestically and globally.
