Dr. Omoigui was my chief resident when I trained at Cook County Hospital. I regret not contacting him after we completed our training. I think of him when I encounter someone from or hear a story of Nigeria and sadly, came across his memorial .

Nowa's enormous breath of knowledge, ability to lead with humor, dedication, kindness, and deep concern for his patients, always served as an example to me of what a physician was meant to me.  He was able to see the larger picture and analyze complex situations to determine how to best help patients when resources were limited; he was always respectful of those he supervised,   tried to teach us some of his skills and was always generous with his knowledge and time. He would have tea in the evening with myself and other residents in the cafeteria, providing an uplifting break, always making us laugh, before we returned to a long night of calls and patient rounds though-out the hospital. 

I am grateful to have known him, may he rest in peace and his family receive some comfort from the memories and experiences they will always retain. 

Rest in peace Nowa,

Dr. Cocchiarella

 

Nowamagbe Austin Omoigui (1959 – 2021)
MD, MPH, FACC.

THE TRAILBLAZER.

By Abraham Ariyo, M.D.

Nowa Omoigui shattered the glass ceiling in Cardiology by being the first Nigerian immigrant to serve as Chief of Cardiology of a major University Medical School in the United States – The University of South Carolina, Columbia. His achievements ushered in a new era of possibilities. He inspired new generations of young Africans and African Americans in Cardiology worldwide. He chartered a new course, allowing us to redefine our future. By his example, we know that there are no limits in pursuing our dreams in the field of Cardiology. We celebrate his life this week.

Nowamagbe Omoigui was born on March 28, 1959 and passed on April 18th, 2021. He was a precocious talent who set records everywhere he went. He graduated from high school at age 15, from Federal Government College, Warri in Nigeria. He graduated with distinction and set a record as the first in the history of the school (and one of the first in West African History) to obtain a Grade A1 in Fine Arts. In 1975, after a year of pre-Med at King’s College in Lagos, he gained admission to study Medicine at the Nigeria’s premier Medical School, The College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. In 1981, he graduated at the top of his Medical School Class with distinction and delivered the valedictory speech. After Internship, he spent a mandatory year of service at the Brigade of Guards where he set new records by coordinating an air, sea and land Military disaster drill, and received a National Award from the Nigerian President Shehu Shagari in 1983.

In the U.S., he did Medicine Residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, NY and served as Chief Resident at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He obtained a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois. He trained in Cardiology at Stanford University and in Interventional Cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic (America’s best heart center). Nowa continued his tradition of collecting awards and setting records in the U.S. He was awarded the Timothy Beckett (1992) and Hewlett Packard (1993) Awards, and Awards for excellence as a post-doctoral fellow in Cardiovascular Disease. He set the all-time record among clinical fellows at the Cleveland Clinic for the highest number of abstracts submitted and presented (as first author) at a single National meeting (American Heart Association 1994). Importantly, he set a new record when he became the first Nigerian (African) immigrant to be Chief of Cardiology at a US University Medical School in December 1994 at the age of 35. Perhaps the youngest to do so.

At the 1995 American College of Cardiology Conference, while I was presenting as a young Cardiology Fellow from Boston and my compatriot, Dr. Akinboboye was presenting as a young Instructor from Columbia University, we were both delighted to see Nowa on the podium as a Guest Faculty of the American College of Cardiology. It definitely opened our horizons. If Nowa could be up there, we too could. This trend has continued till today with young immigrants and young African Americans in leadership positions in every aspect of Cardiology in the United States.

In 1996, when I visited him at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, he was the Chief of Cardiology, the Program Director of Cardiology Fellowship, Director at the VAMC, and the Chairman of the Governing Board of Regents. The night of my visit, during the war of the Desert Storm, Nowa logged into the high-level, War-Room that was full of Military Generals, discussing Tactics and Strategies of military warfare. On Saturdays, he would email me his weekly political write-up for me to proofread, which I would send back to him on Sundays. That opinion would be published in his weekly column in the popular Nigerian newspaper, The Guardian.

Before the advent of internet, Nowa would give you facts and figures about events. By the time you checked, he would be correct about the date, time, place and everything else. His brain was like a walking encyclopedia. He was a preeminent cardiologist, an academic researcher, a prolific writer, a masterful orator, a Military and Nigerian historian, and a genius. Despite his record-setting achievements and his intellectual prowess, he was always humble, easily approachable, always ready to help the younger physicians. When he got comfortable with you, he would crack jokes upon jokes, and you would think he was a comedian. I miss his laugh.

While on this earth, Nowa ensured that his name was engraved in record books for the ages, we pray that God engraves his name among His greatest servants and grant him glory and eternal life in Heaven.

Nowa, we celebrate you today. Rest in Peace.

Abraham A. Ariyo, MD, MPH, FACC.
Director, HeartMasters Cardiology
Interventional Cardiologist,
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Texas.

My dear brother, you are gone too soon. Like a supernova, you lit up the galaxy for one brief shining moment, and then exited in a blaze of glory.

As the next sibling to you, separated by just fifteen months, you led the way for me. I was part of your journey as we grew up together. From inauspicious beginnings, your talents and gifts were revealed every passing year as you progressed through our nursery school, Corona Cretch, Ikoyi, primary school of St Saviour’s, Ikoyi and then St Mary’s School, Lagos and then your secondary school, Federal Government College, Warri as I went to Kings, College Lagos. You came to join me in Kings College for your lower six and then got admission to the University of Ibadan. I later came to join you there and then years later followed you to Cook County Hospital, Chicago, where our paths diverged from there.

Your encyclopedic memory was the foundation of your accomplishments in Medicine, Interventional Cardiology, Political and Military History and Strategy, including Nigerian, African and European history. Your genius is the stuff of legends and will be heralded to the end of time.

Nowa, people like you come once in a million years. I am glad that we shared the earth for most of your journey here. Earth’s loss is indeed heaven’s gain.

As we mourn your loss here on earth, I am comforted by the fact that you are receiving a hero’s welcome by our late mother Grace Onaiwu Omoigui, our aunts Iye-Ogbe and Iye-Nohuwa, our uncles Egbon and Tommy Asemota, our grandfather, Pa Aiyanyo Omoigui and Pa Elekhuoba Asemota, our grandmothers, Sarah Aiyowieren Omoigui and Izevbokun Asemota, and our great grandmother Iyeye Ogbewe Asemota on the other side. Your good friends in the Nigerian Army who passed before you including Lt. Col Mike Iyorshe, Major Alaiyemola, General Azazi among many others are welcoming and prayerfully worshipping with you at the throne of God.

Nowa, you now belong to the ages. You were a good and generous man to your friends, family and strangers. You were your brother’s keeper. Go forth to your heavenly father and exchange your cross for a crown.



Dr Sota Omoigui