Paul Bolaji: A Landmark Achievement -The Historic 1st Nigerian Stroke Leaders’ Summit 2025
Paul Bolaji, Education Lead (Stroke Services) at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, shared on LinkedIn:
”A Landmark Achievement: The Historic First Nigerian Stroke Leaders’ Summit (NSLS) 2025.
In just three weeks, with no external funding, and entirely through personal sacrifice and collective commitment, we successfully delivered a two-day Nigerian Stroke Leaders’ Summit (NSLS) convening the best and brightest stroke leaders from Nigeria and beyond, all on Zoom.
With over 30 speakers, this national virtual summit demonstrated what is possible when vision, purpose, and teamwork align.
Despite limited resources, we delivered a high-quality programme focused on advancing stroke care, research, advocacy, and rehabilitation in Nigeria.
A key to this success was our deliberate and strategic organisation.
The entire summit was executed by volunteers, largely junior doctors and medical students:
• Pre-Event Team – driving coordination, communication, and preparation
• Technical Team – managing Zoom operations, troubleshooting, and virtual delivery
• Slide and Presentation Host Team – ensuring seamless visual flow and backup support
• Speaker and Session Host Team – coordinating speakers, enforcing time, and supporting moderators
All of this happened alongside clinical duties, night calls, family commitments, and personal responsibilities.
Every email sent late at night, every rehearsal after work hours, and every challenge calmly resolved reflected an extraordinary level of dedication.
The Summit culminated in the formation of five national working groups to sustain momentum and drive action:
• Stroke Research
• Training and Capacity Building
• Advocacy and Prevention
• Stroke Services
• Rehabilitation and Life After Stroke
To our speakers, moderators, and partners thank you for believing in this vision especially.
Our keynote speaker and exceptional Prof Sheila Cristina Ouriques Martins gave an emotive presentation how she and her team led the transformation of stroke care in Brazil with sheer grit and resilience culminating in the first Thrombectomy trial in a developing country called RESILIENT trial.
This speech was inspiring to the Nigerian Stroke Leaders giving us faith and hope to transform stroke care in Nigeria.
Shout out to the 14 junior doctors and medical students Evelyn Ogungbemi, Israel Charles Abraham, Nicholas Aderinto, Olatokun Akano, Faith Ohoriemu, Tobi Olajide, Perelade Kingdom and others who rose up to the occasion despite limited time constraints.
You were the heroes of this events.
Special Gratitude to the visionary of the NSLS Prof Rufus Akinyemi, Chair of the African Stroke Organisation who shared this vision with me and encouraged me to lead on this summit.
This is how meaningful change begins: with people willing to give more than is asked, for a cause larger than themselves.
The main works start now!”
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