P.M.EXPRESS correspondent, Michael Akinola, had audience with UK based Nigerian Healthcare Leader, Toba Ogunremi, and he spoke on his recent lifesaving initiative and other issues.
Birthdays are usually marked with celebration—food, parties, and gatherings. This year, you chose a very different path. What inspired that decision?
I paused and asked myself a simple but honest question: What truly lasts?
A feast is beautiful, no doubt. It brings joy, gratitude, and celebration. But the reality is—everything on that table has an expiry date. The food is consumed, the moment passes.
I wanted something more enduring. Something that would outlive the day itself. That’s when the thought came to me: instead of celebrating life, why not give life?
That’s a powerful shift in perspective. How did that thought translate into action?
It became a mission. Through the initiative “No Woman Should Die Giving Life,” we decided to intervene where it truly matters—maternal health.
So far, we’ve funded 43 emergency surgeries for mothers in critical need. These are women who might not have survived childbirth simply because they couldn’t afford urgent care.
Beyond that, we’ve been visiting labour rooms and maternity wards across Nigeria—being present, identifying urgent cases, and responding immediately.
That’s remarkable. Can you share a moment from these visits that stayed with you?
There are many… but one that stands out is seeing a mother discharged with her newborn, her hospital bill completely cleared.
You could see the relief—not just on her face, but in her entire being. That moment reminded me: this is what it means to celebrate life. Not just yours, but someone else’s chance to live and to nurture life.
So far, 11 mothers have been discharged under this intervention. Eleven families preserved. Eleven stories rewritten.
Many people would still argue that birthdays are personal milestones. Why turn yours outward like this?
Because life itself is not just personal—it’s purpose-driven.
If I have been given another year, another opportunity, another breath… then it should count for more than just me.
Celebration is not wrong. But impact is greater. And when you realise that what you might spend on a single event can literally save a life, your priorities begin to shift.
Do you see this becoming a movement beyond just your personal initiative?
Absolutely. That’s the vision.
If this inspires even a handful of people to rethink how they mark their birthdays or milestones—to shift from consumption to contribution—then we’ve already started something powerful.
Imagine if more people chose impact over indulgence, even once a year. The ripple effect would be massive.
As you continue in this birthday season, what’s next?
We’re not stopping here.
We’re actively identifying more mothers in urgent need—especially those requiring emergency surgeries to prevent avoidable deaths during childbirth. The goal is simple: no woman should die giving life.
As long as there are lives we can reach, there is more work to do.
Finally, how would you like this story to be remembered?
Not as a story about me—but as a reminder.
A reminder that we all have the capacity to give life in one way or another. That celebration can be deeper, more meaningful, more impactful.
Because at the end of the day, the greatest legacy is not what we consume… but what we give.
