Juliana Soyebi retired as a senior matron Osun State General Hospital in 2000, in this interview with DAILY POST she speaks about the brain drain in the country’s health sector, poor parenting in this dispensation and her upbringing among other issues.

Can we meet you ma?

I am Julianna Omoladun Soyebi. A well-qualified nurse, I retired as a Chief Matron (HOD Psychiatric Unit) in the year 2000 at Osogbo General Hospital.

My parents are From Ekiti state; My father’s name is Mr Joshua Edogbudi Latunde; he worked as a driver under the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC); he is from Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State. My Mother is from Ayedun Ekiti in Ekiti State; her name is Lydia Tinuola Latunde.
I was born on the 13th of November, 1942, in Kaduna State.

Tell us about your childhood

According to my mother, they met at Futua in the North before coming down to Kaduna, where I was born. On The day of Nigeria’s Independence (October 1st 1960), my father was transferred to Offa railway station, Kwara State.

I started my primary education in Enugu State but finished at Offa, Kwara State
I went to Ijagbo Baptist Grammar School Offa. After my common entrance, I got admission to Methodist girls high school Ifaki Ekiti where I spent four years and did a nursing examination which I passed.

I did not go further, I went straight to nursing, and I completed my general nursing in 1969 in Tunga Magaji General Hospital.

How did you meet your husband?

I met my husband when I moved down to Offa after I completed my general nursing course in the North. I and my husband, Mr Elijah Oluyemi Soyebi, started courtship in 1966.
We later married in 1966 at the Ilorin registry after my three years program at the psychiatric hospital. After our union had been solemnised, I had our first child Oluwatoyin in 1967, who is now of blessed memory. I then proceeded to Midwifery nursing school in Ibadan to solidify my knowledge.

My husband, just like my dad, also worked with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) at Offa terminal before moving down to Ibadan for us to be together. However, he was later transferred to the Agbado train terminal in Lagos.

I was blessed with five (5) children, but my first child (Oluwatoyin) is late now, my second born is Oluyemisi Folakemi Towobola, Mr Sunday Oluwagbemileke Soyebi, Mrs Esther Adenike Ayeni, Mr Samson Olukayode Soyebi.

Could you tell us a little about your Nursing career

I started my nursing career in 1964 at Tungamagajia and progressed in 1971 to study psychotic nursing at Adeoyo hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State.

I started work at Adeoyo psychotic hospital after my three-year program.

I worked at Adeoyo psychotic hospital till I relocated to Osun State.

I retired as a senior matron at Osogbo general hospital.

Why do you choose nursing as a profession?

I chose nursing as a profession because I like to care for people, and the profession provided me with an opportunity to travel to the UK to work there as a nurse in 2006, but I had to let go because of my husband’s illness.

My husband had advised me to go to the UK and return to take him later, but I insisted on staying with him.

My husband died on the 26th of June 2006, after trying all I could to save him. I guess God loves him more.

Tell us About the challenges you have encountered at work

I didn’t have many difficulties in nursing because I found joy and happiness in doing it.
The challenging experience I had in the Midwifery hospital was that of a lady who wanted to die of superstition. This lady put on a black (magic) ring with the belief that the ring would prevent her from having a miscarriage that she usually had before.

However, she didn’t tell us about the ring, as the magic ring was preventing her from delivering the child in the labour room despite the efforts of the nurse. But as an experienced nurse, I started asking her questions while praying; later on, she confessed, and the ring was removed before she could give birth to her baby.

What will you say is your happiest day?

The happiest day of my life was the day I found out I would be celebrating my 80th birthday; because I never knew, I could live this long.

As an experienced health official, what will you say is the solution to health officials leaving the country?

Governments need to improve the welfare of health officials to retain them, just like foreign countries are doing.

Based on your experience and the fact that you have lived for 80years, which is very rare these days, what will you say is the cause of underage deaths in Nigerian society?

A lot of people die for various reasons; the environment, our lifestyle, underlying health issues, and access to immediate care support, amongst others, are vital to the reason why a lot do not live long in Nigeria.

What’s the secret behind your long life?

God is my secret, God is the one that saved me until now because I would have died this year in August, but God brought me back to life.

What can you say about poor parenting in the society?

The parents that used to talk negative words into the life of their children are the cause. Parents need to learn to speak positive words to their children.

Tell us About your spiritual life

I am a child of God. I love God, and he loves me.

Appreciation

I appreciate all my children, their spouses and their children, starting with the family of Shinaayo and Oluyemisi Towobola, Sunday and Janet Soyebi, Oluwadare and Adenike Ayeni, Olukayode and Titilope Soyebi’s family; I pray to God for protection over my children and my grandchildren.

Advice to the youth

I urge the youth to take responsibility for their future so things will change for the best.