HONOR FOR NIGERIA ABROAD:
NIGERIAN Doctor, Anambra State Genius BENNET OMALU Wins AMERICAN Medical Association AWARD…Still First Person in the World to Identify Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Sports
*Presents Detailed Paperwork on CTE to National Football League
*Justified as work justified change the face of American football
*At 16 years joined University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Earned Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at 22 years
*Graduates in Masters of Business Administration from Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University
* “I discovered that science and faith actually go together, because, science and faith seek the truth, and there can only be one truth”-OMALU
* ‘Omalu identified chronic brain damage, as a major factor in the death of other professional athletes, particularly football players. He called the disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. Omalu is without question, the winner of the distinguished service award’-Andrew Gurman, President of American Medical Association
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF/UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DR BENNET OMALU is a highly celebrated Anambra State born Nigerian, whose work in medical research has solved serious problem facing athletes in various sports in United States. This distinguished Naturalized American researched, discovered the Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, CTE facing the National Football League. This invariably brought him honor and won him American Medical Association Award based on his discovery.
This Nigerian doctor was the first person in the world to identify, describe and name CTE as he has been awarded the highest medical award in the United States. It was reported that after discovering CTE in Max Webster, one of the best American footballers in his days, Omalu presented a paper on his findings, addressing the National Football League, but met stiff opposition.
At a time, due to ignorance, NFL’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, MTBI Committee reportedly called for the retraction of Omalu’s paper in May 2006, called his work a ‘failure’. But this great academic born in Nnokwa, Idemili South, Anambra state in September 1968, was eventually justified, when his research work changed the face of American football, for which he was initially ridiculed.
Presenting the award to Omalu, earlier in November, Andrew Gurman, the president of the American Medical Association, AMA, said Omalu is without question, the winner of the distinguished service award.
His words: “Only two awards are mentioned in the AMA by-laws; one is the distinguished service award, which is presented to a member of the association for meritorious service in the art and science of medicine; it is our highest award.
“Without question, this year’s recipient of the distinguished service award, advance both the science and the art of medicine. In 2002, he found substantial brain damage, during the autopsy of a 50-year-old former centre for the Pittsburg Steelers.
“Subsequently, he identified chronic brain damage, as a major factor in the death of other professional athletes, particularly football players. He called the disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE.
“Despite considerable ridicule from those profiting from athletic contest,he prevailed. Today, CTE is widely accepted as a clinical . The recipient of this year’s distinguished service award is Dr Bennet Omalu.”
Delivering his acceptance speech before the AMA house of delegates, Omalu said what he found out with CTE, that science and faith actually go together.
Omalu: “I discovered that science and faith actually go together, because, science and faith seek the truth, and there can only be one truth. Truth is truth; truth doesn’t have a perspective, or a side. Faith seeks the common truth that science seeks, so faith and science synergise with each other. That is why I am standing before you today.
“In practicing the humanity of your faith and the humanity of your science, you must seek the truth and stand with the truth, because come what may, the truth will always prevail, it may take a long time.”
For the records, Omalu attended the Federal Government College, Enugu, after which moved to University of Nigeria, Nsukka, at 16 years, bagged his a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at 22 years. He also has a masters of business administration (MBA) from Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.
