In a heartfelt address that blended seasonal goodwill with a call for national resilience, the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, has delivered a powerful Christmas message urging Nigerians to hold onto hope despite current challenges.
Speaking at the hospital’s Nine Lessons and Carols Night and End-of-Year Party for staff and students in Benin on Wednesday, Prof. Ize-Iyamu framed hope not as a passive wish, but as an active, enduring force. Her message arrives at a critical juncture, offering a counter-narrative to prevailing anxieties.
“UBTH cares, just as Christ cares; When you have Christ, you have hope,” she stated, anchoring her optimism in spiritual faith. She described Christ as the “true source of strength” amid the economic and social difficulties confronting the nation. This perspective highlights the role of faith-based resilience as a psychological anchor for many Nigerians during times of uncertainty, providing a framework for enduring hardship with a forward-looking mindset.
Beyond the spiritual dimension, the CMD grounded her hope in tangible institutional progress. Having completed her first four months in office, she commended the dedication of staff, students, and management. She assured them that the coming years would present “greater opportunities for growth and service,” signaling a vision for UBTH that extends beyond mere functionality to one of expanded impact and professional development for its community.
Prof. Ize-Iyamu reaffirmed the hospital’s unwavering commitment to excellence and professionalism. Her optimism was specifically directed toward UBTH’s core mission: “to continue to deliver quality healthcare while improving lives.” This statement serves as a crucial reminder of the vital, stabilizing role that public institutions like teaching hospitals play in society—as centers of healing, employment, and community solidarity, especially when external conditions are difficult.
The celebration’s most poignant moment translated this message of hope into direct action. The event culminated in a visit to hospital wards, where the CMD, alongside management, staff, and students, distributed gifts to patients and newborns.
This act embodied the very essence of the Christmas spirit and the healthcare ethos: proactive compassion. Visiting those spending the holiday in a hospital ward transforms abstract hope into tangible kindness, reminding both givers and receivers of our shared humanity and capacity to bring light into difficult spaces.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this gesture provided a microcosm of the CMD’s broader message. In a season symbolizing “renewed faith, joy and transformation,” Prof. Ize-Iyamu’s words and the hospital’s actions together offer a blueprint for navigating challenges: by combining steadfast faith, institutional dedication, and personal compassion, the promise of better days ahead becomes not just a hope, but a collective endeavor. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AUO/UNS
========
Edited by Sandra Umeh
