Thompson Abayomi Oshin Foundation Endows Building at UCH to Immortalise Father

The Thompson Abayomi Oshin Health and Education Foundation has donated a state-of-the-art building to the University College Hospital (UCH) of the University of Ibadan to immortalize the pioneering contributions of their father, Dr. Thompson Abayomi Oshin, to the growth and development of physiotherapy in Africa and Nigeria.

The building comprises lecture halls, offices, museum, among others.

Chairman of the foundation, Dr. Segun Oshin, said the foundation embarked on the project to honour his father in response to a request from the College of Medicine, UI because he was the first African physiotherapist and he also started physiotherapy training in Nigeria.

The foundation will also endow a prize in the Faculty of Nursing in memory of his mother, Mrs. Adepeju Olufunmilayo Oshin, who retired as a senior matron from UCH.

President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the building on Dr. Abayomi Oshin’s 98th birthday. The president, who was represented by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the building as a significant milestone in advancing education and health in Nigeria.

“Today, we celebrate a beacon of hope and generosity embodied by the Thompson Abayomi Oshin Health and Education Foundation,” he said, adding that “this commitment to improving education and healthcare in Nigeria is a testament to the enduring spirit of philanthropy that defines the nation.”

According to the president, the donation of the building is not merely a gift to UI but a symbol of hope and progress, which should remind others that even in challenging times, some individuals and families can step forward to make a difference.

“The Oshin family stands as a shining example of how private citizens can contribute to the public good, ensuring that future generations benefit from an enhanced educational system and facilities. Today, we honour not just a new building but also the legacy of Dr. Thompson Abayomi Oshin. His life is a testament to dedication, excellence and service. From being the first African physiotherapist in 1954 to his numerous pioneering roles in physiotherapy across the globe,” Tinubu said.

Oshin’s career is characterised by numerous firsts, honours and distinctions, which include being the first African physiotherapist to qualify in London in January 1954, the first African physiotherapist to be in charge of the Physiotherapy Department (evening clinic) at St. Nicholas Hospital, Plumstead, London in 1954; first African physiotherapist to broadcast on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) London on the value of physiotherapy to West Africans in 1954; and first African Exchange Physiotherapist to the USA from 1958 to 1959, as well as the first Head and Consultant Physiotherapist, University College Hospital, Ibadan in 1973, among others.

The idea of building a building in Oshin’s honour was initiated by the outgoing Provost of the College of Medicine, Prof Olayinka Omigbodun, who encouraged his children to endow an edifice in his honour.

The late governor of Ondo State performed the foundation laying ceremony on July 30, 2022, and the building was inaugurated on July 30, 2024, exactly two years later.