Everyday Heroes-Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh

Calamity came knocking on the doors of  the Nigerian nation in 2014 in the form of the Ebola virus. The fear was so gripping that the false instruction given by ‘one voice’, “Salt! Drink salt, rub salt, bathe with salt… anything Salt, was obeyed across the entire nation, from the high and mighty literate to the humble illiterate. As much as the whole experience gave room for humour and jokes in retrospect, it is actually important that we also remind ourselves of the cost of this ‘freedom (from Ebola)’ that we enjoy. A cost which came in the form of a human life; priceless, of inestimable value and worth. The name Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh might not ring a bell in the ears of many. But History will forever remember and acknowledge that Nigerians and Nigeria as a whole are beneficiaries of her heroics; her sacrifices, professionalism and excellence. Dr, Stella Adadevoh was the courageous doctor who correctly diagnosed and contained the first case of Ebola in Nigeria. Without previous encounter with any Ebola patient, she undertook thorough medical examination and correctly diagnosed the patient (Patrick Sawyer). She even eventually created an isolation area to curb the risks of any other person getting infected. This she did without any proper protective equipment and therefore, put her life and wellbeing at risk. Dr. Stella Adadevoh was put under pressure by the Liberian Ambassador to Nigeria to release the Patient so as to enable him attend a business meeting in Calabar. Despite the status of the diplomat, Dr. Stella defied his status and refused to compromise the ethics of her profession as a Medical Personnel. She insisted that her actions were ‘for the greater public good’ and refused to compromise; patiently portraying values and virtues of honesty, truth, dedication, excellence, and commitment to a greater cause. Her doing the ‘right thing’ prevented Nigeria from experiencing potentially the worst medical outbreak since its existence.

Dr. Stella Adadevoh is indeed a Hero; she defied the status quo. She could have easily engaged the gears of ‘make I protect myself and my hospital’ or activate the ‘make I mind my business’ syndrome, popular among many professional workers. She also could have easily said, ‘e no concern me’ or just walk away with the ‘I cannot come and go and kill myself’ line. She could as well have referred the Patient to the nearest teaching hospital and ignore the impending consequences to the larger society. In the midst of these seemingly easier options, she chose the higher and harder way. She wasn’t only ready to try, she was also ready to die; putting her life on the line to contain Nigeria’s first Ebola patient, and actually losing her life in the process. How do we even qualify Dr. Stella Adadevoh’s sacrifices and dedication? The implications of what could have happened in Nigeria would have been of huge negative consequence, especially with the fact that the Nigeria Medical Association and its Doctors were all on strike at that period of the year. Though she contacted the virus and eventually lost her life, she saved an entire country from a possible epidemic. More than being a ‘Scapegoat’ in the claws and clutches of a merciless virus, she was a sacrificial lamb for the exodus of so many from the waiting grasp of death. Dr. Stella Adadevoh is an exemplification of the true Nigerian spirit, or what the ideal Nigerian spirit should be; patriotism, heroism, sacrificial, courageous etc. She gives hope to us that Nigeria can really be a great nation because of its good people. Dr. Stella is a reminder that there is good in every Nigerian out there, willing and ready to lay down their lives for a worthy cause. She has not only reminded us of virtues such as honesty, integrity, excellence, she has also reminded us that not every superman needs a cape. She might not have had an ‘S’ on her chest, but without the shadow of a doubt, she had an ‘S’ in her heart; and Nigerians will have her ‘S’ in their hearts: Stella, Superwoman, Self-Sacrificing, Saviour!

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This article was first published on 7th November 2018

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