SANYAOLU Naseem Olufimihan Ashamu
Naseem Olufimihan Ashamu Sanyaolu was born at Massey Street Children’s Hospital on Lagos Island on the 4th of September 1949 to the Sanyaolu Eleji’s Family of Epetedo. He is the fourth child of the family.
He attended Fazil-Omar Ahmadiya Primary School, on Ojo Giwa Street, Oko Awo, where he completed his First School Leaving Certificate Education in 1963. He passed the West African Certificate Examination at the famous Abeokuta Grammar School in 1968 in grade 1.
He was admitted through the usually rigorous and competitive examinations and interviews into the prestigious Government College Ibadan for Higher School Certificate in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Due to the influence of his father, Naseem Sanyaolu as he was then known changed to Physics, Chemistry and Biology and passed with the brilliantly exemplary Class set of 64/68/70.
He went to Russia in 1972 and was admitted into the State Medical Institute Rostov-on-Don. He graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 1979 returned to Nigeria to join the service of the Lagos State as a House Officer. He worked in several Lagos State hospitals amongst which are Massey Street Children Hospital (where he was born and later became the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer from 1996-1999).
He went for Postgraduate Studies in Russia and Specialized in Paediatric Surgery. He was a pioneer Paediatric Surgeon at the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
He was a pioneer Director of the Health Care Planning, Research and Statistics in the Lagos State Ministry of Health during which he formulated the Health Care plan of the State. During his tenure as Director, the following Hospitals were established; Alimosho General Hospital Igando, Expansion of the Gbagada General Hospital and Orile Agege General Hospital.
He was instrumental to the establishment of the Lagos State Ambulance Medical Services (LASAMBUS) and Lagos State Emergency Medical Services (LASEMS). His Idea of Lagos State Medical Emergency Training Institute (LASEMTI) is still in the pipe line. He was also a member of the Lagos State Hospitals Management Board.
Aside from his administrative positions in the service of Lagos State, Dr Sanyaolu has always been active rendering surgical care particularly to children. It is estimated that over six thousand (6000) children ranging from zero hour to twelve years have gone under his knife.
He is the current President of his Class Set. The glorious Set of 64/68/70.
He is happily married to a Young Girl called Vicky who has been tolerating him for the past thirty eight years ensuring that he remains young, fresh and dynamic. They are blessed with children and grandchildren.
