Nigerian doctor wins key UN committee post
Nigerian doctor wins key UN committee post
Nigerian doctor and health advocate, Dr Oluwayemisi Adegboye, has been elected Secretary of the NGO Committee on Global Health Systems, a substantive committee of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.
Adegboye was elected on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, marking a new phase in her involvement in global health advocacy, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability and community development.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Adegboye said her “emergence reflected years of professional responsibility, community service and continuous learning across various platforms in Nigeria and internationally.”
“Leadership has never been about waiting for permission,” she said, explaining her belief in identifying opportunities to contribute and creating spaces where others could thrive.
She said her new role would provide an opportunity to bring lessons from her professional and community experiences into international discussions on health, development, women’s leadership and sustainability.
According to Adegboye, “local experiences should remain central to global development discussions because many international issues are ultimately reflected in the daily realities of communities.”
Adegboye, who chairs the Health Team of DoTheDream Youth Development Initiative, said her work in youth health and development had reinforced her commitment to ensuring that community experiences were reflected in wider policy conversations.
Beyond her health advocacy work, she is the founder of The ReTAIE Academy, an initiative focused on personal development, leadership and purposeful living.
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She is also an executive member of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Federal Capital Territory chapter, where she participates in professional and environmental sustainability activities, including the association’s 50th anniversary Legacy Tree Planting project.
Her environmental advocacy extends to her role as chairman of the Women’s International Green Summit and Exhibition (WIGSE-27), where she contributes to discussions on green innovation and climate action.
Adegboye also serves as Health Mandate Team Lead at Lighthouse International Churches, Shabak Centre, Abuja.
She identified her participation in Women in Global Health programmes as an important influence on her leadership development. The programmes included the Intersectionality Course, Speakers Bureau and Global Health Advocates training.
According to her, the experience deepened her understanding of power, inclusion, communication and advocacy, contributing to the development of her PRISA leadership framework.
Explaining the framework, Adegboye said leadership positions should be treated as responsibilities rather than instruments of control, with those in positions of influence using their platforms to amplify the voices of people who may not ordinarily have access to decision-making spaces.
On creating room for others, she said women should actively pursue leadership opportunities while ensuring that others also have the opportunity to participate, develop and grow.
She explained that intersectionality and inclusivity required leaders to recognise the different circumstances that shape people’s experiences, rather than rely on single-issue approaches to development.
On communication, Adegboye stressed the importance of courage, clarity and respectful engagement, particularly for women seeking to participate in decision-making.
She also said advocacy should extend beyond international institutions to the household, workplace, community, state and national levels, with the goal of influencing policies and improving people’s lives.
She linked these principles to her work with The ReTAIE Academy, which she described as a platform for personal and leadership development, guided by the idea of moving “from vision to legacy.”
Her election comes amid continuing international efforts to strengthen health systems, advance universal health coverage and promote civil society participation in health policy development and implementation.
Adegboye said her move to the international stage was not a departure from grassroots engagement but an opportunity to ensure that community voices were represented in broader conversations on health and development.
She expressed appreciation to the Board of Trustees, Global Working Group, Advisory Board and Central Executive Council of DoTheDream Youth Development Initiative for their support.
She also specifically thanked the organisation’s Executive Director, Adebusuyi Olumadewa, and its Vice-President, International, Ola Oluyinka, for their support throughout her journey.
Adegboye said she would continue to draw on her experiences in health advocacy, professional service, women’s empowerment and community development to contribute to international discussions while creating opportunities for others to participate in leadership and development initiatives.
