We are saddened to hear the demise of our professional friend and core supporter, Dr Mohammed Bashir Kanoma from Zamfara State Ministry of Health, Gusau. A mutual friend, Dr Callistus Akinleye passed on the sad news on 15th October, months after the event.
A patriot and professional to the core, we met Dr Kanoma during a research visit to Zamfara in the height of the Lead poisoning incident that resulted in the loss of hundreds of children in 2010. Bashir was at that time the Chief Medical Director of the State Hospital, Gusau. After hectic daytime administrative activities including long field trips and research discussions on epidemiology and public health, he would return in the evenings to deliver personal health-care to the long queue of his out-patients, who were always confident he would come back for them.
Despite differences in ethnicity and religious affiliations, Bashir and I [Joshua] developed very strong friendship and affection, founded on mutual respect. We have since collaborated on a number of projects as well as shared ideas for the progress of our people and country. Although unable to attend the first National Environment and Health Conference in May, Dr Kanoma played very significant roles in the planning and helped mobilize participants, particularly from the North.
Before his sad demise, the Board of the LivingScience Foundation had already approved Dr Kanoma’s nomination to be a member of the International Advisory Council for the Foundation. His death is truly a sad and considerable loss for Nigeria. May the LORD keep his memory sweet and comfort his folks. http://blog.lsfnigeria.org/2016/10/loss-of-a-patriot-bashir-kanoma/