Professor Oritsejolomi Horatio Thomas (1917–1979), was a Nigerian medical pioneer specialising in facial reconstructive and
plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofa ...
. In this latter discipline he trained as an assistant to the wartime legend, Sir
Archibald MacIndoe
Sir Archibald Hector McIndoe (4 May 1900 – 11 April 1960) was a New Zealand plastic surgeon who worked for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He improved the treatment and rehabilitation of badly burned aircrew.
Early life
Archi ...
. Professor Thomas was educated at Methodist Boys' High School
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
and
Birmingham University England. He was a
Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
academic and pioneer provost of the College of Medicine
University of Lagos and the first Nigerian to be admitted to the
Royal College of Surgeons
The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations a ...
of England.
He was also the first head of the University's Teaching Hospital,
LUTH
Luth, Lüth or LUTH may refer to:
People
*Erich Lüth (1902–1989), German writer and film director.
*Tom Luth (born 1954), comic series colorist
*Wolfgang Lüth (1913–1945), German U-boat commander of World War II.
Other uses
* Leatherback se ...
.
He was a Senior Lecturer and
surgeon
In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...
at the
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 196 ...
, at the institution's inception to 1962 before proceeding to Lagos. He was an editor of the West African Medical Journal and was a member of the
Federal Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established in 1998 and is the electoral body which oversees elections in Nigeria.
History
Regulation and administration of elections
The administration of democratic elections in Nige ...
in 1958. He was the chairman of the advisory committee for the establishment of the Midwestern Medical Centre (now
University of Benin Teaching Hospital
University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) is a premier and multi-specialty healthcare service provider in West Africa. The hospital is located in Ugbowo, Benin City and was established on May 12, 1973 following the enactment of an edict ...
) in the middle of 1969.
References
*http://medicalnigeria.net/press_release_bashorun_j_k_randle.htm
1917 births
1979 deaths
University of Ibadan faculty
University of Lagos faculty
Nigerian plastic surgeons
Methodist Boys' High School alumni
20th-century Nigerian medical doctors
Vice-Chancellors of the University of Ibadan
20th-century surgeons
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