BIOGRAPHYOF Dr (Mrs) Mercy Idemokuma Ojemuyiwa (1942 - 2021) 

Dr (Mrs) Mercy Idemokuma Ojemuyiwa(nee Kalango) was born in Oloibiri, Ogbia Local Government of Bayelsa State on the 25th of March 1942 to the family of late Mr. Ernest Benjamin & late Mrs. Dinah Kalango. She died in Lagos on the 26th of May 2021. 

She was the first child in a family of eight children. 

Education & Career 

 Idems (as she was fondly known to many and ‘Sister’ or ‘Sister Mercy’ by her siblings and in-laws respectively) started her educational pursuit from St Michael’s primary school Oloibiri in 1947. She proceeded to Port Harcourt for her secondary education at A.C.M.G.S. Elelenwo now Elelenwo Girls Secondary School, Port Harcourt, from 1956 to 1960. She came out with flying colours in the WAEC exams. 

In those days, our parents’ focus was strictly on education. The next stage was high school for GCE A Levels. This took her to Ibadan Grammar School. At this stage, she had started developing a love for Medicine. So from 1962 to 1963, she moved to the Federal School of Science Lagos to fulfil her aspirations. She gained admission into the University of Ibadan in 1964 to study Medicine after obtaining the best A level results in her school that year. 

After the two years pre-clinical studies, she took an extra year of her Medical Degree to study Anatomy, gaining a BSC in Anatomy with Distinction! She graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and started working at the University College Hospital (U.C.H) Ibadan as a house officer. 

 In 1972, she proceeded to the Royal Infirmary, Bristol, UK, to specialise in Radiology. She bagged the Diploma in Radiology in 1973 and was the third Nigerian woman to qualify as a Radiologist. She then returned to the U.C.H. Ibadan to continue her working career. 

 Working Experience 

 From U.C.H. Ibadan, Idems relocated to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) so as to be with her husband who was working and living in Lagos. During her spare time, she had a contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to analyse their workers’ Radiology images and provide clinical reports. During the regime of late Chief Melford Okilo as Governor of Rivers State, Idems was appointed a member of the Governing Board of the Rivers State University of Science & Technology (R.S.U.S.T.), Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 

 In 1981, she proceeded to the University of Rochester, NY, United States for 4 months as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar in ultrasonography and mammography. She ran a Radiology clinic for many years (SIFKON clinic) and later, Idems-Kala clinic in Surulere attending to patients with excellence and professionalism. 

 In 1990 she went to Saudi Arabia where she worked as a Senior Radiologist until 2003. Upon returning to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia she gained employment as a Senior Consultant Radiologist and Head of Radiology Dept at Eko Hospital Lagos and worked there until her retirement at age 73.

 In 2006 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan as Governor of Bayelsa State, Idems was recognised and honoured by the Bayelsa State government as the first female medical doctor from Bayelsa. 

 Personal Life

 During her student days at the University of Ibadan she met Sina Ojemuyiwa, who was a student in the Faculty of Agriculture. They got married in 1969. Her husband turned out to also be the first child of his parents in a family of six children.The home of this young couple became the new haven for our holidays, especially the Christmas holidays. Idems loved singing and so does her husband. Their home was usually filled with lovely music, and the couple were both members of the famous Laz Ekwueme choir.  

Idems was very intelligent and hard working. As a doctor, she was soft hearted and full of compassion - and was aptly named Mercy. But you did not dare take her for a fool. She was a disciplinarian and a ‘no- nonsense’ woman and that led to people misunderstanding her actions at times. 

 She contributed so much in enriching the lives of anyone she came in contact with, especially the lives of her family members. 

Idems is survived by her husband, 4 children, 11 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, 6 siblings and a host of nieces and nephews. 

She leaves behind sweet memories, which we will always cherish. Our dearest Idems, rest in perfect peace. Amen.