Obi Ekezie

A Nigerian physician and educator who revolutionized medical training in Africa

Dr. Obi Ekezie (1917-2005) was a visionary medical pioneer who transformed healthcare access across West Africa. As founder of Nigeria's first university teaching hospital, he established the College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan in 1962, creating Africa's first fully accredited medical school. This institution trained thousands of healthcare professionals who went on to serve across the continent. Ekezie's innovations included introducing community health programs that brought medical care to remote villages through mobile clinics, a model later adopted by WHO. His work during the 1970 smallpox eradication campaign helped Nigeria become one of the first African nations to eliminate the disease. Through his leadership at the World Health Organization (1965-1970), he championed tropical medicine research and helped establish the African Medical Research Foundation. His legacy lives on through the Obi Ekezie Medical Center in Lagos and the annual Ekezie Global Health Summit. Learn more about his contributions at WHO Archives and African Medical History Project.