By Kunle Adigun

As political conversations gradually gain momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, a familiar name is steadily returning to the centres of discourse across Ogun West Senatorial District — that of Distinguished Senator Gbolahan Joseph Dada.

What is emerging is not a sudden political wave, but a growing consensus among stakeholders, party actors, and grassroots voices that Ogun West may once again require a blend of experience, technical competence, and tested leadership at the level of the National Assembly of Nigeria.

During his previous service in the 8th Senate, Senator Dada distinguished himself through a calm but firm approach to legislative duties, particularly in his role as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, where he contributed to strengthening oversight mechanisms around public expenditure and accountability.

His reputation was further shaped by his strong background in banking technology and financial systems, which informed his consistent advocacy for modernising Nigeria’s revenue architecture, including the automation of tax processes and broader reforms aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and fiscal discipline.

Within political and party circles in the All Progressives Congress, there is a growing acknowledgment that such technocratic depth is increasingly relevant in today’s governance environment. As one party stakeholder in Ogun West noted, “At this stage of our development, Ogun West needs someone who understands governance beyond politics; Senator Dada brings that rare combination of experience and technical capacity.”

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From the grassroots, sentiment appears to be aligning in the same direction, though expressed in practical terms. A community leader in Yewa South observed that, “People are beginning to realise that representation is not about noise but about results, and when we had Senator Dada, we saw a level of understanding of how the system works at the national level.”

Similarly, a trader in Ado-Odo/Ota stated that, “What matters most to us is development and effective representation. If he returns with stronger engagement and presence, many people here are ready to support him because experience does count when decisions are being made in Abuja.”

These views reflect a gradual but noticeable shift in political thinking within Ogun West — one that increasingly prioritises capacity over sentiment and delivery over rhetoric.

The 2019 electoral outcome, while a setback, is now often viewed by observers not as a rejection of competence, but as a reminder of the evolving dynamics of Nigerian electoral politics, where grassroots mobilisation and visibility play a decisive role alongside policy expertise.

As the 2027 political cycle approaches, stakeholders argue that Ogun West stands at a strategic crossroads. The choice, they say, is not merely about political preference but about selecting a representative capable of navigating the growing complexity of national governance while maintaining strong constituency linkage.

In this emerging narrative, Senator Gbolahan Joseph Dada is increasingly being repositioned as a figure whose blend of legislative experience, private sector expertise, and policy orientation align with the current demands of representation.

As one political observer succinctly summarised the sentiment, “Ogun West is not just looking for a senator; it is looking for a voice that understands both Abuja and the realities back home”

In that evolving conversation, the call for Senator Dada’s 2027 Senate comeback is not only growing — it is becoming more structured, more deliberate, and increasingly difficult to ignore.

Adigun is a political editor with Excel News Magazine.

By Michael Owhoko, Ph.D

The quality of a country’s healthcare system is a mirror image of its leaders’ commitment to citizens’ health. Countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland are among the world’s top countries with best healthcare for citizens, driven majorly by robust funding and well-structured policy programme.

Leaders in these countries do not go to foreign countries for medical tourism, as they have absolute confidence in the delivery capacity of the healthcare system.

But in Nigeria, the healthcare system is fraught with dysfunctionality, forcing elasticity of reliability southward. Poor health facilities, unprofessionalism, unethical standards, weak regulatory agencies, bad personnel attitude, questionable health insurance schemes, unreliable health management organisations (HMOs), mismanagement, corruption, fake drugs and obsolete equipment are incidental to lack of commitment by Nigerian leaders to efficient and quality healthcare system.

Though, this is a symptom of greater disorders in Nigeria, poor funding and non-utilisation of health facilities by the ruling elites undermine efficiency, quality and delivery capacity of the healthcare system.

Why will leaders not trust and utilize the healthcare system they have built, equipped and made available to the people through funding? When food is served to public by a provider who has no intention of eating, there is high probability that quality and hygiene may be compromised.

In the 2025 federal government budget, only N2.56 trillion was budgeted for the health sector, representing 5.15 percent of the country’s total budget of N49.7 trillion, which is far below the 15 percent recommended by the Abuja Declaration, to which Nigeria is a signatory.

Though, the N2.56 trillion is an increase of about 58.53 percent of the 2024 budget of N1.62 trillion, however, when viewed in dollar terms, the amount decreased by 15.45 percent, dropping to $1.7 billion from $2.02 billion.

Since the famous coup speech of Late General Sanni Abacha on December 31, 1983 that the country’s health services have been in shambles, and hospitals had been reduced to mere consulting clinics without drugs, water and equipment, the health sector has not shown promises of improvement.

Even 34 years after, the wife of Late President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, confirmed this in 2017 when she resorted to use of a private hospital wholly owned and run by foreigners due to dysfunctional x-ray machine and lack of syringes in the Villa Clinic.

Unfortunately, 42 years after these observations were made by the powers that were, the healthcare sector is still defined by lack of government’s commitment. This is particularly worrisome when viewed against the background of Nigeria’s growing population, currently characterized by low life expectancy, high maternal and child mortality rates.

This means that dependable and quality healthcare provision is not a priority for government, and therefore, a mirage for Nigeria to achieve high quality healthcare in line with World Health Organisation’s (WHO)’s standard.

Globally, Nigeria is ranked 157th out of 191 countries by WHO in the areas of quality health delivery performance. As the largest oil producer in Africa and 16th largest in the world, it is

untenable for Nigeria not to provide robust funding for the health sector, given the country’s huge earnings from crude oil sales.

Even among African countries, Nigeria is rated poorly in healthcare provision. In a report released by The Legatum Institute, a London-based global healthcare assessment organization, Nigeria was ranked 11th out of 12 African countries with poor healthcare system.

The countries include Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad, Lesotho, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland (Eswatini), Liberia, Guinea, Angola, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Despite this poor performance ranking, no concerted effort is being made by government to improve quality service delivery, as budget allocation to the health sector has been on the downward swing.

Since Nigerian leaders who determine the condition of the sector, do not utilize the facilities due to poor services, it means the Nigerian healthcare system is designed to service the health needs of the poor and common Nigerians, and not Nigerian leaders.

Put differently, the healthcare system in Nigeria is determined and conditioned by the thought process and preferences of those who do not use the services. For example, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his cabinet members, including the Minister of Health, together with the Senate President and members of the Legislature, who approve the nation’s tertiary healthcare budget, do not patronize services of Nigerian hospitals.

State governors and their cabinet members, as well as members of the state houses of assembly responsible for approval of budget for secondary healthcare in the country, also, do not patronize health facilities at this level. Same applies to the various local government chairmen and council members whose jurisdiction cover primary healthcare. They all seek better healthcare outside their domains.

The poor premium placed on the health sector by Nigerian leaders have obviously prevented them from knowing that there is a correlation between robust funding of healthcare system and a healthy workforce, and by extension, robust economy.

A vibrant economy is contingent upon a healthy population and a healthy workforce, as health is a critical contributory factor to economic development. This is the reason advanced economies invest so much in healthcareservices, a contrast to Nigeria’s healthcare sector that is troubled by incapacity, unable to address mounting health challenges in the country.

The healthcare delivery system in Nigeria is executed through public and private facilities.

Unfortunately, the private healthcare providers are also enmeshed in unprofessional conduct driven by pecuniary motive. Most of them take advantage of the country’s weak systemic policies to deliver poor health services. Regulatory authorities like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) are not doing enough to enforce professionalism and standards in the country’s healthcare system.

I recently lost a friend to prostrate operation in one of the private hospitals in Lagos.

Prior to the operation, he walked into the hospital by himself, looking normal. But what he took to be a proactive step to avoid future complications, ended his life. He was admitted under a health insurance cover managed by an HMO on executive plan with full options. But rapid

deterioration of his health in the hospital triggered skepticism on whether quality of treatment was commensurate with subscribed insurance plan.

There are numerous public complaints about HMOs conniving with private hospitals to render inadequate and poor services for financial gains. Most of these hospitals deliberately delay diagnosis and treatment until approval is obtained from HMOs, notwithstanding conditions of patients and category of insurance plans.

The NHIA which carries out accreditation of HMOs before approval must look beyond this process to ensure they are continually monitored during operations.

My late friend’s case reminded me of a professional colleague, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, who narrated how God spared his life and given another chance to live again at 58.

His story brought to fore, the ineptitude, inefficiencies, unprofessionalism and lack of commitment and management of patients in Nigerian hospitals. His experience also proved that without connection at the top, patients can die out of share negligence and abandonment without consequence.

After undergoing six major operations and three minor procedures for prostrate, his survival was still on a cliff edge, necessitating the intervention of the Minister of Health through the help of ThisDay Publisher, Nduka Obaigbena and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

This intervention notwithstanding, hopes dimmed, leading Saraki to fly him to Egypt where he underwent successful corrective surgical operations.

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Olaniyony’s case casts aspersion on the entire medical system in Nigeria, and exposed the agony voiceless Nigerians go through in Nigerian health facilities. Trust deficit induced by poor services in Nigerian hospitals, has given rise to patronage of unlicensed and quack herbal health practitioners whose activities are damaging vital organs of innocent Nigerians, with concomitant reduction in life expectancy.

It is depressing to know that out of about 34,000 general hospitals, 21,000 primary health centers and 60 teaching hospital and federal medical centers located across the country, only about 41,000 hospitals are functional.

Government must therefore reorder its priorities to make health facilities efficient, affordable and reliable to enable both leaders and poor Nigerians alike to receive treatment in-country, as against resort to medical tourism which cost Nigeria approximately $1.6 billion annually.

Dr. Mike Owhoko, Lagos-based public policy analyst, author, and journalist, can be reached at www.mikeowhoko.com, and followed on X {formerly Twitter} @michaelowhoko.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have revolutionized the healthcare industry, streamlining processes, improving patient care, and enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of medical diagnostics. This article explores the critical role EHRs play in diagnostics, with a specific focus on examples from SYNLAB Nigeria, a leading medical diagnostics company.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are digital versions of patients’ paper charts. They contain comprehensive and real-time records of patients’ medical histories, including diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory test results. EHRs facilitate the sharing of patient information across various healthcare settings, ensuring that doctors, specialists, and other healthcare providers have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information.

The implementation of EHRs at SYNLAB Nigeria has provided significant benefits to their customers, enhancing their overall healthcare experience. As part of efforts in promoting excellent patient care and in line with SYNLAB’s mission of providing actionable diagnostic information for a healthier life, let’s explore some applications of EHRs in the field of medical diagnostics.

1. EHRs ensure that patient data is accurately recorded and easily accessible. This reduces the risk of errors associated with manual data entry and ensures that patient information is readily available to healthcare providers at any time, facilitating faster and more accurate diagnoses. This means that customers receive their test results quickly and accurately. With all patient data digitally recorded and integrated, the risk of errors is minimized, and results are processed and delivered faster at SYNLAB Nigeria. This timely access to information allows for prompt medical decisions and interventions.

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2. EHRs enable seamless sharing of patient information among different healthcare providers. This ensures that all relevant medical history and test results are available to doctors and specialists, leading to more informed decision-making and better patient outcomes. Improved coordination of care also means that EHRs facilitate better communication among healthcare providers. When patients visit SYNLAB for diagnostic tests, their healthcare providers can access the results directly through the patients’ portal, made possible because of EHR. This ensures that doctors have all necessary information to provide accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatments.

3. Because of EHRs patients have better access to their health information. Patients can view their test results online, schedule appointments, and communicate with their healthcare providers. This increased engagement empowers patients to take a more active role in their health management. SYNLAB Nigeria’s EHR system allows customers to access their personal health records online. Patients can log in to a secure portal to view their test results, track their medical history, and download reports. This convenience empowers patients to stay informed about their health and make more educated decisions.

4. EHRs at SYNLAB Nigeria ensure that patient information is securely stored and protected. Robust encryption and security protocols are in place to safeguard sensitive health data, giving customers peace of mind regarding the privacy and security of their medical information.

5. Aggregated data from EHRs can be used for research and analysis, identifying trends and patterns in patient health. This data-driven approach supports ongoing improvements in diagnostic accuracy and the development of new diagnostic tools and procedures.

The integration of Electronic Health Records at SYNLAB Nigeria exemplifies the transformative impact of EHRs on medical diagnostics. By improving data accuracy, streamlining workflows, enhancing patient engagement, and facilitating better coordination of care, EHRs would continue to play a vital role in advancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare services. As technology continues to evolve, the importance of EHRs in medical diagnostics will only grow, paving the way for more innovative and effective healthcare solutions.

About SYNLAB
• SYNLAB Nigeria is a member of the SYNLAB group, with presence in over 30 countries in four continents. The organization has over 30 active locations across Nigeria and has been ISO 15189 certified since 2006.
• SYNLAB Group is the leader in medical diagnostic services and specialty testing in Europe. The Group offers a full range of innovative and reliable medical diagnostics to patients, practicing doctors, hospitals and clinics, governments and corporates.
• Providing the leading level of service within the industry, SYNLAB is the partner of choice for routine and specialty diagnostics in human and veterinary medicine. The Group continuously innovates medical diagnostic services for the benefit of patients and customers.
• SYNLAB holds leading positions in most markets, regularly reinforcing the strength of its network through a proven acquisition strategy.
• More information can be found on www.synlab.com,

www.synlab.com.ng