Dr Julius Oni, a Nigerian associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, has moved back to Nigeria after living for 25 years in the United States.
In a video that has taken the internet by storm, Oni opened up about his life-changing decision, confessing, “I abandoned my American dreams and returned to Nigeria six weeks ago, defying the ‘Japa’ phenomenon.”
“After 25 years in the United States, I made the bold decision to take my family and relocate to Nigeria, taking a leave of absence from my role at Johns Hopkins and selling our home and vehicles
Oni, who took a leave of absence from his role at Johns Hopkins, returned to his home country with a mission to transform healthcare and provide quality orthopaedic care to Nigerians.
He acknowledged that many might find his decision baffling. “I know at this point some of you may call me delusional or even crazy, but I’m neither. I’m just a man full of conviction,” he said.
Oni, who is also the CEO of a private equity firm, XCITE Capital, revealed that his return to Nigeria was driven by a deep belief that Nigerians deserve access to world-class healthcare.
“I happen to believe that Nigerian patients deserve great care too,” he stated.
As part of his mission, he has launched DOC Medical Nigeria, a facility focused on providing high-quality musculoskeletal care.
“Part of my effort is to provide access to care so that people do not have to travel to access high-quality orthopaedic surgery,” Oni explained.
According to him, his efforts are already yielding results.
“I am humbled to say that people are coming from near and far, from as near as Ghana and as far as the UK,” he said, adding that many patients who would have otherwise travelled abroad for surgery now have access to top-tier orthopaedic care within Nigeria.
In the video caption on his Instagram account, the doctor highlighted some of his recent accomplishments since opening DOC Medical Nigeria, including performing his first series of surgeries and holding free medical clinics in partnership with other organisations.
He also noted that he has consulted with patients outside Nigeria.
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