Like the saying goes ‘everything that has a beginning must also have an end’. Figuratively speaking, the time has come for Mrs H.A Okedo, the Executive secretary at the West AFrican College of Nursing (WACN) to say good bye. Mrs Okedo's tenure at the WACN which began on the 6th of January 2014 came to end on September 30 2019 

 

 

With sheer commitment, hard work and dedication, Mrs Okedo rose through the ranks and file to the pinnacle of her nursing career, culminating in her position as executive secretary at the WACN. During her tenure, Mrs Okedo a talented, ebullient and result oriented nurse professional was instrumental to keeping the college afloat as on her assuption of office in 2014, the College was not doing well, and the accounts were in red with the result that January salary could not be paid to the outgoing Executive Secretary(ES),  S. A. Adeleye until after a month. Notwithstanding the looming sense of doom and collapse surrounding the college at the time, Mrs Okedo's concerted efforts was able to pull the college through its financial crisis and as at September 30th, 2019 her last day at the college, she left a solvent and viable College with tremendous improvement in the finances of the College. 

 

Mrs Okedo within a short period at the college was able to put a few strategies in place to resuscitate ad keep the College afloat. She introduced many innovations and reforms that transformed the college. 

 

Her passionate commitment to the college saw her begun compilation of names and postal addresses of Fellows. A general letter was written to all, encouraging them to pay up their dues/levies. She reached out to Fellows of the college and built their trust, confidence and renewed interest in the affairs of the College and maintained a cordial relationship with the other sister colleges.

 

She followed up on the sister colleges that we're indebted to WACN to pay up, and N2m was paid by WACS and WACP

 

Appaled by the condition of the office furnitures, she refurbished and changed the dilapidated furniture at the College Secretariat, procured laptops, UPS, printer, photocopier, public address system and projector for College programmes and presentations etc

 

As an internet savvy professional, She redesigned, upgraded the College website and added academic portals where applicants/students can apply and access their results thereby increasing the visibility of the College.

 

She also participated in the development of fellowship module and logbook for the commencement of the modular fellowship programme.

 

She designed and produced Fellowship application forms, and drafted students manual. She opened online application for prospective applicants into the College fellowship programme 

 

Mrs Okedo wrote and got approval from the University of Ibadan Senate to domicile the WACN fellowship programme at the department of nursing. She wrote and got sponsorship from WAHO for the hosting of the 2014 Council meeting 

 

She also wrote and got financial assistance from Jhpiego for the 2015 BGM in Ghana, 2017 BGM in Nigeria and 2019 BGM in Sierra Leone

 

Under her astute leadership, a brand-new Toyota Hiace high roof air condition 16seater bus was purchased for the College in November 2015.

 

An administrative dexterity was also displayed when she produced a scheme/record of service for College staff that was not in existence before 2014

 

She way also key and instrumental in producing, submitting and receiving approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) for four modules for a continuing education programme for nurses/midwives that have attracted 3 credit units each.

 

She compiled the Chapters’ indebtedness to the College and this has been sent periodically as a reminder to the Chapters for payment of outstanding dues and Secretariat upkeep fund. She raised the bank balance of N564,000 in January 2014 to N18M in January 2018 for the extra-budgetary account.

 

She successfully conducted an interview of fellowship aspirants and raised substantial revenue from that and the induction of 177 fellows during the 2015 BGM in Ghana.

 

She successfully commenced and implemented the WACN Modular fellowship Programme by examination since 2016, which has successfully been on now for four years.

 

Other achievements recorded by Mrs Okedo include:

She commenced and sustained mandatory update programme for Fellows and Fellowship students since 2016

Sought and got approval to use four tertiary health institutions in Nigeria for the clinical/residency programme of the College Fellowship students. The hospitals are Lagos University Teaching Hospital(LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital(LASUTH), Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria ( ABUTH) and General Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Got sponsorship from WAHO for five observer francophone countries during the 2017 BGM; this was followed up and also got fund for sensitization visits to  eight francophone countries to join the College (Cote d'Ivoire Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali, Niger and Guinea)

Initiated and got a partnership with Jhpiego, WHO, NANNA, Nursing Now, and discussion with CNA was ongoing, before my exit.

Had a presentation on leadership at the 2019  ICN Congress in Singapore and the entire trip was fully funded by Jhpiego.

Commenced Disaster Nursing Programme in South-south Adult/Geriatric Nursing Programme in Southeast, Nigeria and ensured the sustainability of existing College educational programmes.

Worked with strategic committee to produce a five year strategic plan for the College.

Made significant presentations to the Top Management Committee of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria for the official recognition of the WACN fellowship programme,