On the last Tuesday of July 2024, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Osun state hosted a friendly football match between female medical doctors (NMA-MWAN OSUN Babes FC) and female nurses (NANNM UTD) in Osogbo.
As part of the 2024 NMA Osun State Annual General Meeting (AGM), on the 3rd day of their biannual one-week event, the association organised different sporting activities which brought together members across different noble professions i.e. Doctors, Nurses and Lawyers. A common event that has been held in previous years, the football matches occur between Nurses vs Doctors teams, male doctor’s vs female doctor’s teams, as well as the male NMA team against the male Osun state lawyers (NBA Osogbo team).
MWAN is the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, an affiliate of NMA. NANNM is the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives and NBA is the Nigerian Bar Association.
This year’s tournament played on the Osogbo city stadium along Ikirun road, was kicked start by opening pitches from the incoming and outgoing NMA Osun Chairmen – Dr Adeniyi Fasaanu and Dr Adetoye Omowoninuola respectively – alongside the MWAN Osun president (Prof Olayinka Olasode, who was ably represented by the MWAN Osun Secretary – Dr Ronke Makinde). After which the team members were introduced and the whistle to commence the game, was blown by the referee.
About 10 minutes into the match, the MWAN OSUN Babes FC scored a goal, with 1st half ending in favour of the MWAN OSUN Babes FC team with the score of “1-0”. The 2nd half was goal-less, hence, the MWAN OSUN Babes FC won the friendly football match against the NANNM UTD team with 1-0.
Speaking to one of the MWAN Osun executives, the Young Doctors Forum (YDF) Coordinator – Dr Timi Jegede, she expressed her gratitude for the expert coordination by Dr Azeez (NMA colleague), helped with the training of the MWAN volunteers (football players) in Osogbo, while she coordinated the Ile-Ife arm. As the MWAN OSUN Babes FC team was made up of YDF members from both OAUTHC in Ile-Ife and UNIOSUN in Osogbo. Further explaining that, trainings for the team members held both in Osogbo and Ife, to ensure that members were fit ahead for the match day.
And on the day of the event, the arm of the team from Ife arrived the stadium to join other team members already in Osogbo, after which they got their jerseys on and did some collective light training on the field, prior to the commencement of the match. According to her, “the team made us proud by bringing home the cup and we plan not to dissolve the team but make it a permanent one for future outings. Also, still opened to others interested in joining”.
Also, highlighting that other states can emulate this for interprofessional unity and collaboration. As such activities in a friendly atmosphere “brings us closer” and perhaps, help put a stop to interprofessional rivalry… “Imagine hugging a nurse I never knew after the match out of sheer excitement from the game”.
However, she pointed out that, “I personally got the information about the match a bit later, about 2 weeks to the event, which limited our time to plan perfectly. We’d appreciate if notice for these events is sent in earlier. Also, when we got the notice and placed various advertisements to get our members to show interest, although most of those that showed interest were YDF members, but we got maximum support from our elders. And some members who indicated interest didn’t play in the match but cheered us on during the tournament”. These issues she mentioned for possible improvement in future events.
