naijablog: 1948 - A Doctor in Nigeria

Saturday, March 06, 2010

1948 - A Doctor in Nigeria

8 comments:

Sam, 12:47 pm: This is why you are on my list of must reads every morning. This is simply waoh.
Fred, 3:05 pm: When Nigera still worked.
Controversial Anon, 3:30 pm: Very nice seeing the past!

The Saint Margaret Hospital is still there, it is now part of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), it retains the name St Margaret and those old buildings still stand alongside the modern hospital blocks.

Big Qua (pronounced Big Kwoh) is now part of Calabar City and is home to the Qua people (one of the three ethnic groups indigenous to Calabar, the others being the Efiks, and the Efuts). There are other related places in and around Calabar: Akim Qua, Qua falls, etc and one of the main streets in Calabar - Marian Road Ext - was renamed for the most famous son of Qua: Ndidem Usang Iso, though everyone still calls it Marian Road.

Ikon Eto (the village he travelled to by boat) is now in Odukpani, Cross River State. As a child, I used to travel that river all the time, between Calabar and Oron, and I loved it, back then there was an hovercraft and some very interesting ferry services run by Cross Lines, the only time I have ever witnessed a shoe salesman NOT sell his shoes in pairs. lol.

The recreation facilities were located at the African Club, which is still there today, along Calabar Road. Now largely run down, but the old building from the 1900s still stands, it is the oldest recreational/social club in Nigeria (Ikoyi Club is 1930s).

Serendipity: A few years ago, on my first trip to Edinburgh, I was fascinated to find on the back of a Bank of Scotland £10 note, a map of the entire region, showing Calabar, Odukpani, the Cross river and the Calabar river and its tributaries, with other villages clearly labelled :-), on the front of the note was a lady whom I couldn't recognize, but on closer inspection I saw her name - Mary Slessor.

The worst thing that Colonialism did to Nigeria was lump 250 different nations into one country, and besides the religious issues that crop up, I really dont think that this is such a bad thing. All our failings has to be attributed to us. Unlike the Congo, Algeria, East or Southern Africa, I would say that we had more good than bad from Colonialism - Education, Science, Health care, Administration, Sports, Commerce, Agriculture, Transport, Communication, etc. Yes they arrested our natural development, but I would trade that for Science any day, Yes they misrepresented and misunderstood our culture, but I would trade that for sound economy any day.

I wish away one thing only, Christianity. They should have told us that Christianity is not really true. Now they have created zombies! :(
Anonymous, 6:06 pm: God bless you Jeremy, what else can is say, i'm Gobsmacked! shame though, once they left we ruined it all, still lovely to see something from the past
Battaille, 6:20 am: Awww. Colonialism was so wonderful! Sweet gentlemen who healed the sick, played tennis, and wore sexy short nickers. No be today dem born me. Sir J, where you come go find dis kind video sef?
Anonymous, 11:25 am: Whao got goose bumps watching this.

It just occurred to me that there are probably about 3 generations of Nigrians that may not have the opportunity of saying 'The good Ol days'
Anonymous, 5:09 am: the youtube video was posted by an anon poster in jeremy's post below regarding 'nneka"
Baba, 7:03 am: In the video clip, the doctor mentioned that appendicitis was "rare in this part of the world" - implying that appendicitis was rare in Nigeria at that time.

I believe things have changed as there are frequent cases of appendicitis in Nigeria these days and it is not considered unusual if someone has it.

Can anyone please tell me why this was the case and what could have possibly changed things?

Thanks.

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