Guardian

IT was a sad moment for the people of Ososo in Akoko Edo, Edo State, recently, when the body of the Chief Medical Director of Echo Scan, Dr. Anthony Oladapo Irefu arrived the town for burial. The body was first taken to All Saints Anglican Church, Ososo, amidst tiers from both young and old, before being laid to rest in his compound.

Irefu was born into the family of High Chief Michael Irefu, the Ede-Ikuru of Ososo, on October 5, 1962 at Ilaro, Ogun State.

He began his elementary education at llaro, Ogun State, and later continued at Ososo Primary School, Ososo, between 1968 and 1974 after the family had relocated home. He proceeded to Saint Aloysius Grammar School now Ososo Grammar School Ososo, where he had his secondary education, passing out with Aggregate Six, in 1979.

That same year, he was offered admission to study Physiology at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, but because of his dream of becoming a medical doctor, he rejected the admission and rather enrolled for a Lower Sixth programme at Edo College, Benin City.     The following year, he wrote the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)

examination, choosing Medicine as his first choice of course. He was admitted into the University of Benin, to study his dream course. He graduated in 1986 with an MBBS Degree.

After graduation, the young Doctor was posted to Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano for his housemanship and later did his compulsory service at the same hospital, where he excelled in practice.

Between 1987 and 1988, he moved to Gusau in the then Sokoto State, where he worked in Poly Clinic and Maternity Home. In Gusau, he met Dr. Evelyn Daub, a German, whom he later married and they had a daughter, Paula Omore.  Irefu’s quest for knowledge took him to Germany in 1991, where he had further studies in other areas of Medicine including Sinology between 1991 and 1992. This boosted his practice upon his return to Nigeria.

He immediately established his first private hospital in Keffi, in the present day Nasarawa State, bringing to bear on his practice, the new skills he had acquired in supplies, maintenance, training and use of Ultrasound Machines. He was indeed a pioneer in the introduction of Ultrasound machines to Northern Nigeria, as a good number Ultrasound machines sold in that region up till mid 2000 were supplied by his company.

In 1994, he relocated to Kaduna from Keffi and established Meditronics Scanning Centre. This idea gave birth to Echo-Scan Services Limited, Kaduna, which today has branches across the nation, three in Abuja, one in Asaba and two in Lagos, providing employment to hundreds of Nigerians.

Irefu’s relocation to Kaduna led to his meeting a young lady, Binta, with whom he eventually got married. The marriage is blessed with four beautiful daughters—Eremime, Abegoni, Osoname and Itote.

He was a philanthropist and a man of the people. In his graduating class album, he wrote, “my dream is to be a good Doctor and to help people.” He actually realised this worthy dream in his lifetime.

Irefu was full of life. He had no dull moments and was friendly to people. This made his peers to call him all kinds of appellations—Heavymen, Gbetros, Golden Tulip, Kakaruki, Omonla, Agbaragada, Akatakpo Omose, and Jugnu, among several others.

He was mentor to many, within Ososo and beyond. His generosity knew no bounds. He was an Iroko tree to members of his family and friends, always willing to share. Nigerians from different walks of life would certainly feel the pains of his departure. May his soul rest in peace.